The school absenteeism among high school students: Contributing factors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the direct and indirect relationship between student school absenteeism, personal factors (academic self-perception, attitudes towards teacher and school, goal valuation and motivation/self-regulation), family factors (parents’ educational level and income), and academic achievement in structural equation model. Four hundred and twenty three high school students participated in the study. The findings revealed that student absenteeism was negatively related to academic self-perception, attitudes towards teacher and school, goal valuation, motivation/ self-regulation, and academic performance. Results also revealed that student absenteeism differed in respect to parents’ educational level and income. Results from SEM analyses noticed that personal and family factors significantly predict previous and current student absenteeism. SEM analyses also revealed that previous student absenteeism significantly predict previous academic achievement. Finally, SEM analyses noticed that previous student absenteeism and previous academic achievement can predict current student absenteeism. Contribution and implications of these findings were discussed in detail. © 2016 EDAM.