What's different about truants? A comparison study of eighth-graders

Differences and similarities between 25 eighth-grade truants and 25 nontruants-matched for age, grade, gender, and ethnicity-were explored on four dimensions: family variables, friendship patterns and interests, behavior and attitudes toward school, and cognitive factors including academic ability and achievement. The major differences were in school behavior, attitudes, academic ability, and achievement. The most frequent reasons given for truancy were boredom and dislike of school and teachers. Truancy was associated with highly disruptive classroom behavior. The salience of school variables suggests that truancy prevention and intervention strategies should include improved course content, teaching, and school climate. The necessity of having a comparison group is stressed in order to distinguish characteristics of normal adolescent development from those associated with maladjustment.