TY - JOUR
T1 - Student Engagement, Truancy, and Cynicism
T2 - A Longitudinal Study from Primary School to Upper Secondary Education
AU - Virtanen, Tuomo
AU - Räikkönen, Eija
AU - Engels, Maaike
AU - Vasalampi, Kati
AU - Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Truancy is a widespread problem in upper secondary education as it adds significantly school dropout risk. However, the underlying mechanisms of truancy remain to be studied. This longitudinal study of 1,853 Finnish students examined how change in student engagement from primary (Grade 6) to lower secondary school (Grades 7 and 9) predicted truancy in upper secondary education, and whether cynicism (losing interest in school) mediated the relation between engagement and truancy. Growth curve models showed that high levels of engagement in primary school and increases in engagement over time predicted less truancy in upper secondary education. Cynicism mediated the effects of student engagement on truancy: high initial levels and increases in student engagement predicted less cynicism, which, in turn, related to lower levels of truancy. Findings underscored the importance of student engagement (both directly and indirectly through cynicism) in reducing truancy, and that these associations can carry over two critical school transitions.
AB - Truancy is a widespread problem in upper secondary education as it adds significantly school dropout risk. However, the underlying mechanisms of truancy remain to be studied. This longitudinal study of 1,853 Finnish students examined how change in student engagement from primary (Grade 6) to lower secondary school (Grades 7 and 9) predicted truancy in upper secondary education, and whether cynicism (losing interest in school) mediated the relation between engagement and truancy. Growth curve models showed that high levels of engagement in primary school and increases in engagement over time predicted less truancy in upper secondary education. Cynicism mediated the effects of student engagement on truancy: high initial levels and increases in student engagement predicted less cynicism, which, in turn, related to lower levels of truancy. Findings underscored the importance of student engagement (both directly and indirectly through cynicism) in reducing truancy, and that these associations can carry over two critical school transitions.
U2 - 10.1016/j.lindif.2021.101972
DO - 10.1016/j.lindif.2021.101972
M3 - Article
SN - 1041-6080
VL - 86
JO - Learning and Individual Differences
JF - Learning and Individual Differences
M1 - 101972
ER -