Pupil Absenteeism in the Primary School

The term pupil absenteeism is used in preference to alternatives such as parental condoned absence, truancy or school phobia/school refusal because it does not carry with it specific connotations, namely that the problem lies with the parents, as implied by the term parental condoned absence, or with the child, as suggested by the labels truancy and school phobia/refusal. The term truancy is used to describe the behaviour of a child who absents him/herself from school without parental knowledge, whereas the diagnosis school phobia/refusal is employed by psychiatrists and psychologists when a child refuses to go to school because of fear of school or fear of leaving home (Kahn et al., 1981).