The relationship between mental health and school absenteeism in a community sample of French secondary school students: four profiles derived from cluster analysis
Open accessAbstract
School absenteeism is a serious problem among youths, varying in etiology and presentation. Youths presenting high levels of absence have previously been linked to mental health problems, academic difficulties and dropout, highlighting the need for early identification and intervention. The aim of this study is twofold: first, to identify profiles among a community sample of secondary school students based on school absence, internalizing and externalizing behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL-YSR). Second, to examine the relationship between profiles regarding mental health problems based on the dimensions of the CBCL-YSR, the function of their school absence using the School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS) and school refusal using the SChool REfusal EvaluatioN (SCREEN). The profiles are compared on demographic variables, family characteristics, school performance and bullying. A community sample of 469 youths (10-16 year, M=12.1 years, SD=1.2) from six French secondary publics schools participated in this study. Using cluster analysis, four distinct profiles were identified. The clusters differed significantly on school absence, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, dimensions of the CBCL-YSR, and their function of absence on the SRAS. Clusters differed significantly on several demographic variables, school level, grade, repetition and bullying. The distinctions between the four profiles and their relevance are discussed.
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School exclusion does not appear to differ among various clusters of youth with school absenteeism.
“In addition, school exclusion does not appear to differ among various clusters of youth with school absenteeism”
From Reconciling Contemporary Approaches to School Attendance and School Absenteeism: Toward Promotion and Nimble Response, Global Policy Review and Implementation, and Future Adaptability (Part 1) (2019) · cites this paper as Gallé-Tessonneau et al., 2019
Others have related the functions to clusters of absentee youth and family environment types.
“Others have related the functions to clusters of absentee youth (Gallé-Tessonneau et al., 2019) and family environment types (Kearney and Silverman, 1995).”
From Reconciling Contemporary Approaches to School Attendance and School Absenteeism: Toward Promotion and Nimble Response, Global Policy Review and Implementation, and Future Adaptability (Part 1) (2019) · cites this paper as Gallé-Tessonneau et al., 2019
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- Authors
- Gallé-Tessonneau, M., Bach Johnsen, D., & Keppens, G.
- Affiliations
- Université de Bordeaux (FR)
- Aarthus University (Denmark)
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE)
- ORCID
- Keppens, Gil
- Venue
- European Journal of Education and Psychology
- Publisher
- Universidad Autonoma de Chile
- Published
- 2019-04-17
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 77-90
- ISSN
- 1888-8992 (ISSN-L)
- 1989-2209
- OpenAlex
- W2935743806
- Semantic Scholar
- 2aaedd45b06b017f49dfa208c88bfcabc9b505b6
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 10.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Education and Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) (submittedVersion)
- Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Youth Substance Use and School Attendance
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- school absenteeism, school refusal, mental health, high school students, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, bullying, academic performance, family factors, early detection
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