Measuring Different Dimensions Of Truant Behavior: A Typological Approach
Author(s):
Gil Keppens (presenting / submitting)
Conference:
ECER 2015
Network:
05. Children and Youth at Risk and Urban Education
Format:
Paper

Session Information

05 SES 04 A, Children and Youth at Risk and Urban Education

Paper Session

Time:
2015-09-09
09:00-10:30
Room:
416.Oktatóterem [C]
Chair:
Sofia Marques da Silva

Contribution

Truancy is often cited as a complex and multifactorial phenomenon(Reid, 1999; Reid, 2002; Gentle-Genitty,2014; Darmody, Smyth, & McCoy, 2008; Maynard, Salas-Wright, Vaughn, & Peters, 2012). However, studies researching truancy are often limited to conceptualize truancy based on the frequency of the absence, which results in comparing characteristics of regular absentees with characteristics of non-truants (i.e. Vaughn, Maynard, Salas-Wright, Perron, & Abdon, 2013). The purpose of the present study is to provide important insights into the conceptual understanding of truant behavior by exploring different types of truants.

Method

To examine different types of truants we used latent profile analysis, based on a representative sample of 4189 youngsters in secondary education in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium). 6 key indicators were employed to identify latent classes: the period of the absence, the parental awareness of the child’s absence, the location of the absence, individual versus group absence, pre planned versus on the moment absence, and the intention of the absence.

Expected Outcomes

Three classes of truant youth were identified: ‘homestayers’, ‘traditional truants’, and ‘condoned social truants’. In addition, multinomial regression analysis revealed social differences between the three types of truant youth. Our findings suggest that truant youth are a heterogeneous group, which can be categorized in different types that have specific social characteristics. In the discussion we demonstrate how studying different types of truants can be important for understanding how truant behavior can be identified and prevented.

References

Darmody, M., Smyth, E., & McCoy, S. (2008). Acting up or opting out? Truancy in Irish secondary schools. Educational Review, 60(4), 359–373. Gentle-Genitty, C. (2015). Truancy: a look at definitions in the USA and other territories. Educational Studies, 41(1-2), 62–90. Maynard, B., Salas-Wright, C., Vaughn, M., & Peters, K. (2012). Who are truant youth? Examining distinctive profiles of truant youth using latent profile analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(12), 1671–1684. Reid, K. (1999). Truancy and schools. London & New York: Routledge. Reid, K. (2002). Truancy. Short and long-term solutions. London: Routledge. Vaughn, M., Maynard, B., Salas-Wright, C., Perron, B., & Abdon, A. (2013). Prevalence and correlates of truancy in the US: Results from a national sample. Journal of Adolescence, 36(4), 767–776.

Author Information

Gil Keppens (presenting / submitting)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Sociology
Brussels

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