Degree Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

1993

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Theresa McCormick

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to examine and to provide information about the early identification of school-avoidance behavior. Factor analysis was performed on the interview data of 10 school-avoidant students, their parents, teachers or school counselors. The Self-esteem Index was administered to the school-avoidant students and a control group of 10 students matched according to gender and grade. Interviews, school attendance records, test results, developmental histories, medical histories, and observations were the data used to draw generalizations concerning the school-avoidant students, their parents, and their educators. Results from the interpretation of data revealed: (a) the school-avoidant students exhibited physical symptoms with no other known etiology, "school belly" was the most frequent symptom; (b) the students internalized affective symptoms; (c) the students wanted a voice in their educational program; (d) the students' intellectual functioning was average or above average; (e) the students were interested in learning and persistent in continuing their education; (f) the school-avoidant students had a lower level of self-esteem than the students who were accepting of the school environment; (g) parents made attempts to get their children or adolescents to school; (h) parents stated the school did not meet the educational needs of their children or adolescents; (i) school counselors stated parents enabled the students to remain at home; (j) teachers and counselors observed students were quiet in the classroom; (k) there was no consistent early identification of school-avoidance behavior;A checklist was developed to help educators identify school-avoidance behavior.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-9577

Publisher

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University, http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/

Copyright Owner

Mary Anderson Richards

Language

en

Proquest ID

AAI9321206

File Format

application/pdf

File Size

249 pages

Download

Share

COinS