Vägen tillbaka till skolan - En kvalitativ studie om skolkuratorers förståelse av skolans arbete med problematisk skolfrånvaro
(2025) SOPB63 20251School of Social Work
- Abstract
- Problematic school absenteeism signals students’ need for support and is a growing social issue that challenges schools' efforts to promote attendance. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to explore school counselors’ understanding of problematic absenteeism, as well as the school's remedial and preventive work to promote attendance. The study employed a qualitative approach and consisted of five semi-structured interviews with school counselors working with students in grades 7-9 in five municipalities in southern Sweden. The empirical data were analyzed using thematic analysis and through Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which highlighted how the causes of absenteeism and school interventions were embedded within... (More)
- Problematic school absenteeism signals students’ need for support and is a growing social issue that challenges schools' efforts to promote attendance. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to explore school counselors’ understanding of problematic absenteeism, as well as the school's remedial and preventive work to promote attendance. The study employed a qualitative approach and consisted of five semi-structured interviews with school counselors working with students in grades 7-9 in five municipalities in southern Sweden. The empirical data were analyzed using thematic analysis and through Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which highlighted how the causes of absenteeism and school interventions were embedded within interconnected systems. The results showed that the school counselors perceived problematic absenteeism as a multidimensional phenomenon, where several underlying causes interacted, and that all absences should be considered difficult. They described percentage-based absence registration as risking being misleading without contextual understanding. In the remedial work, individualized interventions, clear routines for identifying and assessing absenteeism, and the importance of collaboration both within and outside the school were highlighted. At the same time, several limitations at both individual and structural levels were pointed out. The school's preventive work was described as central in addressing problematic absenteeism by creating safety and belonging. Efforts aimed at all students, absence registration, changes to the school environment, values education, and the importance of fostering trusting relationships were underscored. This study contributed to an increased understanding of the school’s complex role in managing absenteeism from the perspective of school counselors and highlighted the need for strengthened organizational conditions to improve both preventive and remedial efforts. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9195812
- author
- Petersson, Isabell LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SOPB63 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- school absenteeism, school attendance, school counselors, preventive work, remedial interventions
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9195812
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-11 12:03:34
- date last changed
- 2025-06-11 12:03:34
@misc{9195812,
abstract = {{Problematic school absenteeism signals students’ need for support and is a growing social issue that challenges schools' efforts to promote attendance. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to explore school counselors’ understanding of problematic absenteeism, as well as the school's remedial and preventive work to promote attendance. The study employed a qualitative approach and consisted of five semi-structured interviews with school counselors working with students in grades 7-9 in five municipalities in southern Sweden. The empirical data were analyzed using thematic analysis and through Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which highlighted how the causes of absenteeism and school interventions were embedded within interconnected systems. The results showed that the school counselors perceived problematic absenteeism as a multidimensional phenomenon, where several underlying causes interacted, and that all absences should be considered difficult. They described percentage-based absence registration as risking being misleading without contextual understanding. In the remedial work, individualized interventions, clear routines for identifying and assessing absenteeism, and the importance of collaboration both within and outside the school were highlighted. At the same time, several limitations at both individual and structural levels were pointed out. The school's preventive work was described as central in addressing problematic absenteeism by creating safety and belonging. Efforts aimed at all students, absence registration, changes to the school environment, values education, and the importance of fostering trusting relationships were underscored. This study contributed to an increased understanding of the school’s complex role in managing absenteeism from the perspective of school counselors and highlighted the need for strengthened organizational conditions to improve both preventive and remedial efforts.}},
author = {{Petersson, Isabell}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Vägen tillbaka till skolan - En kvalitativ studie om skolkuratorers förståelse av skolans arbete med problematisk skolfrånvaro}},
year = {{2025}},
}