This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Poor school attendance can negatively affect young people's behavior and future health. It is a growing public health concern because rates of persistent school absence have risen considerably and remained high in some parts of the country since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health reviewed and synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on interventions to improve school attendance. The review looked at 61 articles on RCTs conducted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States because of similarities in education systems. It also focused on studies including primary or secondary school-age students, their parents, guardians or teachers.
Jean Strelitz, joint first author on the review, said, "This review comes at a critical time, as school attendance hasn't fully recovered since the pandemic. Persistent school absence presents a public health concern, as it is associated with poorer developmental and behavioral outcomes. "We identified a large number of recent high-quality trials of school attendance interventions.
In our meta-analysis, engaging with parents and improving communication with parents had consistent positive effects on attendance across several studies. "However, there is a wide range of intervention types that may suit different needs of schools and populations. We can learn from this new research to inform a more evidence-based approach to improving attendance," said Strelitz, research fellow in population mental health, Psychological Medicine, IoPPN.
The analysis identified parental engagement and mentoring interventions as the most consistently effective, particularly among younger age groups, with small improvements in attendance. Teaching social and emotional skills, behavioral interventions and interventions targeting high-risk students also showed some positive effects on attendance, but there were fewer trials of these types of interventions, so it is harder to be certain of the impacts. However, the study notes that these interventions may have broader aims and benefits beyond attendance.
Professor Ann John, Swansea University, senior author on the review, said, "Persistent absence affects children's future opportunities. It's an issue that disproportionately affects disadvantaged children, compounding existing differences in how well students do in school. The start of a new school year brings renewed attention to how we can address it.
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