Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Regular attendance is integral for students’ academic success; it also affects adolescents’ physical and mental health. Very few studies consider (a) differences between partial- and full-day absences regarding chronic absenteeism (CA; missing school ≥15 days in an academic year); or (b) roles of school nurses in addressing student absenteeism. This study describes school nurses’ perceptions of factors related to CA and differences between partial- and full-day absences by analyzing qualitative data from six focus groups with 21 Midwestern school nurses. Four themes emerged: Absenteeism at the intersection of family and health; Absenteeism at the intersection of family and school; Absenteeism at the intersection of family and ecological systems; and School nurse roles in supporting chronically absent students. Findings highlight the importance of school nurses by describing their role in identifying students who are at risk for CA, allowing for effective assessment and intervention with students before patterns of CA become habitual.

Keywords

chronic absenteeism partial-day absences qualitative research school absences school nurse knowledge/perceptions/self-efficacy

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allison

M. A.

Attisha

Lerner

De Pinto

C. D.

Beers

N. S.

Gibson

E. J.

Gorski

Kjolhede

O’Keary

S. C.

Schumacher

Weiss-Harrison

(2019). The link between school attendance and good health. Pediatrics, 143(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-3648

Amor

Y. B.

Dowden

Borh

K. J.

Castro

Goel

(2020). The chronic absenteeism assessment project: Using biometrics to evaluate the magnitude of and reasons for student chronic absenteeism in rural India. International Journal of Educational Development, 72, 102140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2019.102140

Balkıs

Arslan

Duru

(2016). The school absenteeism among high school students: Contributing factors. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16(6), https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2016.6.0125

Bergman

Chan

E. W.

(2021). Leveraging parents through low-cost technology: The impact of high-frequency information on student achievement. Journal of Human Resources, 56(1), 125–158. https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.56.1.1118-9837R1

Best

N. C.

Oppewal

Travers

(2018). Exploring school nurse interventions and health and education outcomes: An integrative review. The Journal of School Nursing, 34(1), 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840517745359

Braun

Clarke

(2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Bronfenbrenner

Morris

P. A.

(2007). The bioecological model of human development. In Damon

Lerner

R. M.

(Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (pp. 793–828). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0114

Brown

Looman

W. S.

Garwick

A. E.

(2019). School nurse perceptions of nurse–family relationships in the care of elementary students with chronic conditions. The Journal of School Nursing, 35(2), 96–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840517741944

Chang

H. N.

Romero

(2008). (rep.). Present, engaged, and accounted for the critical importance of addressing chronic absence in the early grades. Retrieved May 9, 2022, from https://www.nccp.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/text_837.pdf

10.

Cicutto

Murphy

(2013). A randomized controlled trial of a public health nurse-delivered asthma program to elementary schools. Journal of School Health, 83(12), 876–884. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12106

11.

Deck

S. M.

(2017). School outcomes for homeless children: Differences among sheltered, doubled-up, and poor, housed children. Journal of Children and Poverty, 23(1), 57–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/10796126.2016.1247347

12.

Erlingsson

Brysiewicz

(2017). A hands-on guide to doing content analysis. African Journal of Emergency Medicine, 7(3), 93–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afjem.2017.08.001

13.

Fantuzzo

LeBoeuf

Brumley

Perlman

(2013). A population-based inquiry of homeless episode characteristics and early educational well-being. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(6), 966–972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.02.016

14.

Glynn

L. M.

Davis

E. P.

Luby

J. L.

Baram

T. Z.

Sandman

C. A.

(2021). A predictable home environment may protect child mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neurobiology of Stress, 14, 100291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100291

15.

Gottfried

M. A.

(2019). Chronic absenteeism in the classroom context: Effects on achievement. Urban Education, 54(1), 3–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859156187

16.

Hernandez

D. J.

(2011). Double jeopardy: How third-grade Reading skills and poverty influence high school graduation. Annie E. Casey Foundation. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED518818.

17.

Hill

Mrug

(2015). School-level correlates of adolescent tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Substance use & Misuse, 50(12), 1518–1528. https://doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2015.1023449

18.

Hill

N. J.

Hollis

(2012). Teacher time spent on student health issues and school nurse presence. The Journal of School Nursing, 28(3), 181–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840511429684

19.

Jacobsen

Meeder

Voskuil

V. R.

(2016). Chronic student absenteeism: The critical role of school nurses. NASN School Nurse, 31(3), 178–185. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942602X16638855

20.

Kassarnig

Bjerre-Nielsen

Mones

Lehmann

Lassen

D. D.

(2017). Class attendance, peer similarity, and academic performance in a large field study. PloS One, 12(11), e0187078. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187078

21.

Knafl

K. A.

Havill

N. L.

Leeman

Fleming

Crandell

J. L.

Sandelowski

(2017). The nature of family engagement in interventions for children with chronic conditions. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 39(5), 690–723. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945916664700

22.

Lee

Kummerfeld

McMorris

B. J.

Delaney

C. W.

(2021). Comparison of Interconnections between Full-Day and Partial-Day Absences in School Children: A Causal Discovery Analysis. [Poster Presentation]. Midwest Nursing Research Society 2021 Annual Conference, Virtual due to COVID-19.

23.

Lee

McMorris

B. J.

Chi

C. L.

Looman

W. S.

Burns

M. K.

Delaney

C. W.

(2023). Using data-driven analytics and ecological systems theory to identify risk and protective factors for school absenteeism among secondary students. Journal of School Psychology, 98, 148–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2023.03.002

24.

Lewallen

T. C.

Hunt

Potts-Datema

Zaza

Giles

(2015). The whole school, whole community, whole child model: A new approach for improving educational attainment and healthy development for students. Journal of School Health, 85(11), 729–739. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12310

25.

Lim

Davis

Choi

S. Y.

Chen

J. J.

(2019). Effect of sociodemographics, health-related problems, and family structure on chronic absenteeism among children. Journal of School Health, 89(4), 308–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12736

26.

Lineberry

M. J.

Ickes

M. J.

(2015). The role and impact of nurses in American elementary schools: A systematic review of the research. The Journal of School Nursing, 31(1), 22–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840514540940

27.

Mäenpää

Paavilainen

Åstedt-Kurki

(2013). Family–school nurse partnership in primary school health care. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 27(1), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6712.2012.01014.x

28.

Martin

Rider

G. N.

Johnston-Goodstar

Menanteau

Palmer

McMorris

B. J.

(2021). Prevalence of trading sex among high school students in Minnesota: Demographics, relevant adverse experiences, and health-related statuses. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(5), 1011–1013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.08.021

29.

Maughan

(2003). The impact of school nursing on school performance: A research synthesis. The Journal of School Nursing, 19(3), 163–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405030190030701

30.

Melvin

G. A.

Heyne

Gray

K. M.

Hastings

R. P.

Totsika

Tonge

B. J.

Freeman

M. M.

(2019). The kids and teens at school (KiTeS) framework: An inclusive bioecological systems approach to understanding school absenteeism and school attendance problems. Frontiers in Education, 4(61), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00061

31.

Mood

Jonsson

J. O.

Låftman

S. B.

(2016). Immigrant integration and youth mental health in four European countries. European Sociological Review, 32(6), 716–729. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcw027

32.

Queirós

Faria

Almeida

(2017). Strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. European Journal of Education Studies, 3(9). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.887088

33.

Rankine

Goldberg

Miller

Kelley

Ray

K. N.

(2021). School nurse perspectives on addressing chronic absenteeism. The Journal of School Nursing, 39(6), 496–505. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405211043872

34.

Rodriguez

Rivera

D. A.

Perlroth

Becker

Wang

N. E.

Landau

(2013). School nurses’ role in asthma management, school absenteeism, and cost savings: A demonstration project. Journal of School Health, 83(12), 842–850. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12102

35.

Rogers

Feller

(2018). Reducing student absences at scale by targeting parents’ misbeliefs. Nature Human Behaviour, 2(5), 335–342. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0328-1

36.

Romero

Lee

Y. S.

(2008). The Influence of maternal and family risk on chronic absenteeism in early schooling. National Center for Children in Poverty. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED522733

37.

School Nurse Organization of Minnesota (n.d.). School nurse licensure. School nurse organization of Minnesota. https://www.minnesotaschoolnurses.org/your-profession/school-nurse-licensure

38.

Sheldon

S. B.

Epstein

J. L.

(2004). Getting students to school: Using family and community involvement to reduce chronic absenteeism. School Community Journal, 14(2), 39–56.

39.

Simoneau

Langton

C. R.

Kuo

C. L.

Marrero

Gherlone

Cloutier

M. M.

Hollenbach

J. P.

(2020). A school nurse-led asthma program reduces absences: Evaluation of easy breathing for schools. Academic Pediatrics, 20(1), 73–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2019.07.007

40.

Singer

Pogodzinski

Lenhoff

S. W.

Cook

(2021). Advancing an ecological approach to chronic absenteeism: Evidence from detroit. Teachers College Record, 123(4), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146812112300406

41.

Smythe-Leistico

Page

L. C.

(2018). Connect-text: Leveraging text-message communication to mitigate chronic absenteeism and improve parental engagement in the earliest years of schooling. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 23(1-2), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/10824669.2018.1434658

42.

South Carolina Department of Education (n.d.). Chronic Absenteeism. Retrieved from: https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/student-intervention-services/chronic-absenteeism/

43.

Spirito

Hernandez

Cancilliere

M. K.

Graves

H. R.

Rodriguez

A. M.

Operario

Jones

Barnett

N. P.

(2018). Parent and adolescent motivational enhancement intervention for substance-using, truant adolescents: A pilot randomized trial. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 47(sup1), S467–S479. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1399402

44.

State of New Jersey Department of Education (May 2020). Guidance for Reporting Student Absences and Calculating Chronic Absenteeism. Retrieved from https://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/behavior/attendance/

45.

State of Pennsylvania Department of Education (n.d.). Guidelines for Reporting Regular Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism. Retrieved from https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/ESSA/FutureReady/Pages/Attendance.aspx/

46.

Stempel

Cox-Martin

Bronsert

Dickinson

L. M.

Allison

M. A.

(2017). Chronic school absenteeism and the role of adverse childhood experiences. Academic Pediatrics, 17(8), 837–843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2017.09.013

47.

U.S Department of Education (2019). Chronic Absenteeism in The Nation’s Schools. Retrieved September 26, 2021, from https://www2.ed.gov/datastory/chronicabsenteeism.html#intro/

48.

Vaughn

M. G.

Maynard

B. R.

Salas-Wright

C. P.

Perron

B. E.

Abdon

(2013). Prevalence and correlates of truancy in the US: Results from a national sample. Journal of Adolescence, 36(4), 767–776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.03.015

49.

Weismuller

P. C.

Grasska

M. A.

Alexander

White

C. G.

Kramer

(2007). Elementary school nurse interventions: Attendance and health outcomes. The Journal of School Nursing, 23(2), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405070230020901

50.

Weisz

(2004). Psychotherapy for children and adolescents: Evidence-based treatments and case examples. Cambridge University Press.

51.

Whitney

C. R.

Liu

(2017). What we’re missing: A descriptive analysis of part-day absenteeism in secondary school. AERA Open, 3(2), 2332858417703660. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858417703660

52.

Wood

J. J.

Lynne-Landsman

S. D.

Langer

D. A.

Wood

P. A.

Clark

S. L.

Mark Eddy

Ialongo

(2012). School attendance problems and youth psychopathology: Structural cross-lagged regression models in three longitudinal data sets. Child Development, 83(1), 351–366. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01677.x

53.

Wyman

L. L.

(2005). Comparing the number of ill or injured students who are released early from school by school nursing and nonnursing personnel. The Journal of School Nursing, 21(6), 350–355. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405050210060901

54.

Yoder

C. M.

(2020). School nurses and student academic outcomes: An integrative review. The Journal of School Nursing, 36(1), 49–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840518824397

School Nurses and Chronic Absenteeism in Schools: A Qualitative Study on Experiences,Perspectives,and Roles

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References