In the aftermath of the pandemic, the number of pupils absent from school in the UK has increased significantly, and children are reporting higher levels of mental illness than ever before.
Previous research has shown that exclusion (removing children from school) and truancy are associated with poorer mental health.
Currently, my colleagues and I are conducting research to investigate whether mental health leads to exclusion and school refusal, or whether exclusion and school refusal actually contribute to poor mental health in children and young people. Did.
It turns out that the connection goes both ways. Children who struggled with their mental health were more likely to later be excluded from school or to be absent from school. We also found evidence that exclusion and school refusal can increase mental health difficulties.
vicious circle
Being out of school has a negative impact not only on children’s academic performance, but also on their health and overall development. These children miss out on important formative interactions with peers and teachers.
Exclusion from school can have long-term, even lifelong effects. Research shows that excluded children are more likely to be unemployed, go to prison, and have mental health problems.
Our study used nationally representative data from over 15,000 children born in the UK between 2000 and 2002. The study collected extensive information about the participants as children and teens, including information about behavioral and emotional issues such as aggressive behavior. Accompanied by symptoms of anxiety and depression. Information about children’s refusal to attend school and their experiences with school refusal was also included.
Our analysis reveals that mental health problems in primary school make children more likely to be excluded or truant when they subsequently enter secondary school. More specifically, increased emotional problems increased the likelihood that children would be excluded in early adolescence and increased their likelihood of being out of school.
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Elementary school students whose behavior problems worsened were also at higher risk of being excluded when they entered secondary school. However, we found no evidence that behavioral problems increase children’s chances of not attending school.
Our research also found that school refusal and exclusion can exacerbate mental health problems. We showed that some of these negative effects differed by child gender. Additionally, some have only short-term effects on mental health, while others have longer-term effects.
For example, boys (but not girls) who were excluded in secondary school subsequently suffered higher levels of depression and anxiety, and the effects continued into late adolescence after they left school. Excluded boys and girls also had more severe behavioral problems in early adolescence, but not later. Those who did not attend school had more emotional problems in the long term and more behavioral problems in the short term.
change the pattern
Our research shows very clearly the cycle of disadvantage in which children who suffer from mental health are absent from school or excluded, but at the same time, the problem is further exacerbated by non-attendance and exclusion. In some cases, it may extend into late adolescence.
This new knowledge highlights the need for prevention and intervention of mental health problems in children. This could reduce the number of vulnerable children missing out on educational opportunities and further damage to their mental health.
School-based social and emotional learning programs may play an important role, as they have been shown to be successful in reducing both behavioral and emotional problems. Sports-based programs may also be a promising means of keeping children connected to school. It is also important to raise awareness of children’s mental health, even in elementary school. Many children can slip through the net. They need early access to mental health services.
Interestingly, they found that school exclusion increased emotional symptoms in boys, but not in girls, during both early and late adolescence. These symptoms generally increase further in girls during this developmental period. More emphasis may need to be placed on finding alternatives to excluding boys from school.
What is particularly distressing is that even though behavioral problems did not lead to school refusal, these types of problems increased after school failure. The bond between children and their schools appears to be the key to reversing this trend.
Programs that focus on transforming school environments by promoting student engagement with learning and fostering a sense of belonging to school can make a big difference here, as they can reduce school refusal. There is a gender. And you may be able to avoid subsequent mental health problems.
