Social Support for Adolescents With a High Level of Truancy in Swedish Compulsory Schooling

The aim of this article is to explore whether 15 students with a high level of truancy have experienced social support at school. The analysis is based on systems theory with a focus on the social context at school. The study is based on data collected in an earlier school document study (Strand & Granlund, 2013 Strand, A.-S., & Granlund, M. (2013). The school situation for students with high levels of absenteeism in compulsory school. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 58(5), 551–569. doi:10.1080/00313831.2013.773561Taylor & Francis Online], Web of Science ®] , Google Scholar]) and on 2 earlier interview studies with the school staff (Strand & Cedersund, 2013 Strand, A.-S., & Cedersund, E. (2013). School staffs' reflections on truant students; A positioning analysis. Pastoral Care in Education, 31 (4), 337–353. doi:10.1080/02643944.2013.835858Taylor & Francis Online] , Google Scholar]) and the students themselves (Strand, 2012). Data triangulation was conducted using person-based content analysis. The students were divided in three groups of the school system. For the winners, we found that engaged adults close to them made a positive difference that restored their relationship with school. The unchallenged and the losers of the school system had poor social relationships with the school staff, especially within the classroom. A dearth of relationships with classmates was observed for all 3 groups. There was a low level of agreement between the information taken from the school documents, what the school staff members said, and what the students themselves said for all of the groups. What the students perceived as support was not the same as the school had noted as provided and received support.