Our colleagues from Spain, María Pérez-Marco, Carolina Gonzálvez, Andrea Fuster and María Vicent have published an systematic review in the journal Children and Youth Services Review.
The study aims to provide a systematic review of programs designed to reduce or eliminate SAPs in children and adolescents. It differentiates between two main types based on the cause of the attendance problem: school refusal or truancy.
A systematic search process was conducted in databases such as Web Of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Psicodoc using a common search strategy and five inclusion criteria. The data extracted from each study were analyzed based on three levels of effectiveness and the Cochrane risk bias tool. Seventy-eight programs aimed at addressing SAPs in populations aged 6-18 were reviewed. Twenty-nine studies showed one of the established effectiveness levels for reducing School Refusal or Truancy, with similar characteristics in the intervention program's application. The study discusses the strengths and weaknesses of these programs to provide a reference for those responsible for improving school attendance, thereby contributing to clarifying which types of interventions are most effective in addressing SAPs.
Pérez-Marco, M., Gonzálvez, C., Fuster, A. & Vicent, M. (2025). A systematic review of intervention programs for school attendance problems. Children and youth services review, 169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108091
