Open AccessVerlauf von Schulabsentismus 1.5 bis 3 Jahre nach Erstvorstellung: Prädiktoren, psychosoziales Funktionsniveau und Inanspruchnahme von Hilfen
Author(s) -
Martin Knollmann,
Emilia Waltz,
Volker Reißner,
Ursula Neumann,
Johannes Hebebrand
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
zeitschrift für kinder- und jugendpsychiatrie und psychotherapie
Language(s) - German
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.215
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1664-2880
pISSN - 1422-4917
DOI - 10.1024/1422-4917/a000884
Subject(s) - absenteeism , truancy , psychosocial , school refusal , attendance , strengths and difficulties questionnaire , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , mental health , anxiety , social psychology , criminology , economics , economic growth
Course of School Absenteeism 1.5-3 Years After Initial Evaluation: Symptoms, Psychosocial Functioning, and Help-Seeking Behavior Abstract. Objective: To explore the course of patients with school absenteeism 1.5-3 years after their initial evaluation, including symptoms, school attendance, psychosocial functioning, and help-seeking behavior. Method: Of the 237 patients from specialized psychiatric units for youths displaying school absenteeism, we successfully contacted 108 of them 1.5-3 years after initial admission. We conducted a telephone interview with their parents (SDQ, school situation, help-seeking behavior). Among others, we analyzed the extent of school absenteeism, the scales of the Inventory of School Attendance Problems (ISAP; Knollmann et al., 2019), and the quality of school absenteeism (school refusal vs. truancy vs. mixed group) at admission as possible predictors. Results: The patients had received an extensive amount of youth-welfare measures and inpatient, daycare, and outpatient therapy. 46.3 % had elevated values in the SDQ total score at follow-up, mostly because of emotional problems or problems with peers. Psychosocial functioning, including school attendance, was described as poor for only about 30 %. School attendance problems were significantly predicted by having a conduct disorder and elevated scores on the ISAP-scales Aggression, Teacher Problems, and Peer Problems, though the effect sizes were weak. Conclusions: Externalizing symptoms and associated psychosocial problems seem to be predictive of a negative course of school absenteeism. Implications for prospective longitudinal studies are discussed.