Truancy among school children: Reasons and counselling experiences
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Truancy is one of the top discipline problems in Malaysia and the national prevalence of truancy indicates a significant number of students are truant. Counselling at school aims at helping schoolchildren in personality development and discipline. This qualitative study aims to research the experiences of counselling on schoolchildren who were reported for truancy.
Methodology: The research participants involved ten schoolchildren who had played truant and were required to participate in counselling sessions. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations, and diary entries on two occasions for each participant. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify themes related to the participants’ experiences.
Findings: The findings showed that the reasons for truancy among the school children involve self and relationship with others. After being in sessions with school counsellors, the children reported being more responsible, which included behavioural, emotional and goal-based changes. The relationship with the school counsellor allowed them to experience belongingness, which supported them in choosing positive behaviour, emotions and goals, which is related to having a sense of responsibility.
Contributions: This paper argues that engaging in counselling with a school counsellor helped the schoolchildren to make responsible decisions about their behaviour, emotions and goals. The most important factor is the “relearning experience” in promoting responsibility among schoolchildren.
Keywords: Qualitative research, truancy, belongingness, school counselling, responsibility.
References
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Bistamam, M. N., Mohd-Jais, S., Ahmad, A., Mohd-Noor, A., Jusoh, A. J., Mustafa, M. B., … Idris, M. N. (2015). Kesan kaunseling kelompok penyesuaian remaja terhadap resilien dalam kalangan remaja berisiko mengambil dadah [Effect of group counseling on adjustment towards resilience among adolescents at risk of drug abuse]. Jurnal Pendidikan Bitara UPSI, 8(1), 88-104.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2012). Thematic analysis. In H. Cooper (Ed.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 57–71). American Psychological Association.
Cooper, M. (2013). School-based counselling in UK secondary schools: A review and critical evaluation, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/45319
Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotheraphy (10th ed.). Brooks & Cole, Cengage Learning.
Creswell, J. W., & Guetterman, T. C. (2019). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluation quantitative and qualitative research (6th Ed.). Pearson.
Elliot, R. (2008). Research on client experience in therapy: Introduction to the special issue. Psychotherapy Research, 18(1), 239-242.
Gibson, K., & Cartwright, C. (2014). Young clients' narratives of the purpose and outcome of counselling. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 42(5), 511-524.
Husain, A. K. (2016). Kesan kaunseling kelompok terhadap kompetensi sosial pelajar [The effects of group counselling on students social competency]. (Unpublished Ph.D dissertation). Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia.
Ishak, Z., & Fin, L. S. (2013). Truants’ and teachers’ behaviors in the classroom. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103(1), 1228-1237.
Ishak, Z., & Low, S. F. (2015). Factors contributing to truancy among students: A correlation between predictors. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 9(1), 32-39.
Katmun, N., Zakaria, S. R., & Jusoh, M. A. (2014). Factors that influence discipline problems among secondary school students in the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur. Management Research Journal, 3(1), 140‒154.
Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. (2012). Surat siaran Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia bilangan 12 tahun 2012. Perekayasaan perkhidmatan bimbingan dan kaunseling di sekolah [Enforcement of guidance and counseling services in schools]. KP(BPSH_SPDK)201/005/02 Jld 4(5).
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Knight, K., Gibson, K., & Cartwright, C. (2018). It’s like a refuge: Young people’s relationships with school counsellors. Counselling Psychotherapy Research, 18(1), 377–386.
Mat-Min, R. (2016). Clients’ experiences in counselling sessions with counsellor trainees. Asian Social Science, 12(7), 212-221.
Mat-Min, R., & Tuan-Abdullah, T. N. (2017). People affected with HIV: Experience of counselling contributes to emotional support. Asian Social Science, 13(1), 89-97.
Mazerolle, L., Antrobus, E., Bennett, S., & Eggins, E. (2017). Truancy and fostering a willingness to attend school: Results from a randomized trial of a police-school partnership program. Prevention Science, 18(1), 469–480.
McLeod, J. (2010). The effectiveness of workplace counselling: A systematic review. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 10(4), 238- 248.
Ministry of Health. (2017). Adolescent health survey, national health morbidity survey 2017. Institute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Kuala Lumpur.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th Ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Sage.
Miller, R., & Taylor, D. D. (2016). Does Adlerian Therapy stand the test of time? Examining individual psychology from a neuroscience perspective. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 55(1), 111-129.
Mohd-Daud, N. A., & Bond, T. (2013). Cultural values and attitudes towards guidance and counselling services in one secondary school in Malaysia: The role of a school cultural system. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 41(5), 544-558.
Mohd-Nawawi, A., Mohd, A., Md-Saad, N., Baharuddin, J., & Ismail, S. N. (2016). Hubungan antara gaya pengajaran guru dengan tahap ponteng sekolah menengah di daerah Bachok, Kelantan [Relationship between teacher teaching style with truancy among secondary school in Bachok district, Kelantan]. In Proceeding of ICECRS, International Seminar on Generating Knowledge through Research, UUM-UMSIDA, 25-27 October. Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia.
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1-13.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Rasmussen, P. R. (2014). The task, challenges, and obstacles of parenting. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 70(2), 90-113.
Sackett, C. R., & Cook, R. M. (2021). An exploration of young clients’ experiences in counseling with post-master’s counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 99(1), 72-83.
Sackett, C. R., & Lawson, G. (2016). A phenomenological inquiry of clients’ meaningful experiences in counseling with counselors-in-training. Journal of Counseling & Development, 94(1), 62–71.
See, C. M., & Ng, K. M. (2010). Counseling in Malaysia: History, current status, and
future trends. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88(1), 18–22.
Shaari, A. (2014). Kesan kaunseling individu terapi rasional emosi dan tingkah laku (REBT), kaunseling sedia ada (KSA) dan kumpulan kawalan (KK) terhadap tingkah laku agresif murid sekolah menengah [The impact of the rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) and basic counselling skills on secondary school students with agressive behavior]. (Unpublished Phd thesis). Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Shah, S. A., Abdullah, A., Aizudddin, A. N., Hassan, M. R., Safian, N., Hod, R., & Mohd-Amin, R. (2012). Psycho-behavioural factors contributing to truancy among Malay secondary school students in Malaysia. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 13(2), 128-137.
Suboh, A., Azizi, N., & Hamzah, M. (2011). Masalah salah laku agresif di kalangan pelajar sekolah menengah dan hubungannya dengan gaya keibubapaan [The problem of aggressive behaviour among secondary school students and its relationship with parenting style]. Journal of Education Psychology and Counselling, 1(March), 77-93.
Veloo, A., & Ng, C. K. (2014). Jenis amaran dan faktor ponteng sekolah dalam kalangan pelajar sekolah menengah di Sabah [Types of school warnings and truancy factors among secondary school students in Sabah]. Asia Pacific Journal of Educators and Education, 29(1), 125-139.
Watts, R. (2012). On the origin of striving for superiority and social interest. In J. Carlson & M. Maniacci (Eds.), Alfred Adler revisited (pp. 41–46). Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
Yoep, N., Tupang, L., Jai, A. N., Lim, K. K., Paiwai, F., & Mohd Nor, N. S. (2016). Prevalence of truancy and its associated factors among school-going Malaysian adolescents: Data from global school-based health survey 2012. Psychology, 7(1), 1053-1060.
Zakaria, M. S. (2016). Pengalaman kaunseling individu dan kesannya terhadap perkembangan sahsiah pelajar sekolah menengah di daerah Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia [Experiences of individual counseling and its impact on the development of secondary school students in Hulu Langat district, Selangor, Malaysia]. (Unpublished master thesis). Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Attwood, G., & Croll, P. (2015). Truancy and well-being among secondary school pupils in England. Educational Studies, 41(1–2), 14–28.
Berg, B. L., & Lune, H. (2011). Qualitative research methods for the social science (8th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Bistamam, M. N., Mohd-Jais, S., Ahmad, A., Mohd-Noor, A., Jusoh, A. J., Mustafa, M. B., … Idris, M. N. (2015). Kesan kaunseling kelompok penyesuaian remaja terhadap resilien dalam kalangan remaja berisiko mengambil dadah [Effect of group counseling on adjustment towards resilience among adolescents at risk of drug abuse]. Jurnal Pendidikan Bitara UPSI, 8(1), 88-104.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2012). Thematic analysis. In H. Cooper (Ed.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 57–71). American Psychological Association.
Cooper, M. (2013). School-based counselling in UK secondary schools: A review and critical evaluation, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/45319
Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotheraphy (10th ed.). Brooks & Cole, Cengage Learning.
Creswell, J. W., & Guetterman, T. C. (2019). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluation quantitative and qualitative research (6th Ed.). Pearson.
Elliot, R. (2008). Research on client experience in therapy: Introduction to the special issue. Psychotherapy Research, 18(1), 239-242.
Gibson, K., & Cartwright, C. (2014). Young clients' narratives of the purpose and outcome of counselling. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 42(5), 511-524.
Husain, A. K. (2016). Kesan kaunseling kelompok terhadap kompetensi sosial pelajar [The effects of group counselling on students social competency]. (Unpublished Ph.D dissertation). Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia.
Ishak, Z., & Fin, L. S. (2013). Truants’ and teachers’ behaviors in the classroom. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103(1), 1228-1237.
Ishak, Z., & Low, S. F. (2015). Factors contributing to truancy among students: A correlation between predictors. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 9(1), 32-39.
Katmun, N., Zakaria, S. R., & Jusoh, M. A. (2014). Factors that influence discipline problems among secondary school students in the federal territory of Kuala Lumpur. Management Research Journal, 3(1), 140‒154.
Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. (2012). Surat siaran Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia bilangan 12 tahun 2012. Perekayasaan perkhidmatan bimbingan dan kaunseling di sekolah [Enforcement of guidance and counseling services in schools]. KP(BPSH_SPDK)201/005/02 Jld 4(5).
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (1996). Surat pekeliling ikhtisas bil. 3/1996. Panduan tambahan: Perlantikan guru kaunseling sepenuh masa di sekolah menengah [Appointment of full-time counselling teachers in secondary school]. KP(BS)8591/Jld.VIII/35.
Knight, K., Gibson, K., & Cartwright, C. (2018). It’s like a refuge: Young people’s relationships with school counsellors. Counselling Psychotherapy Research, 18(1), 377–386.
Mat-Min, R. (2016). Clients’ experiences in counselling sessions with counsellor trainees. Asian Social Science, 12(7), 212-221.
Mat-Min, R., & Tuan-Abdullah, T. N. (2017). People affected with HIV: Experience of counselling contributes to emotional support. Asian Social Science, 13(1), 89-97.
Mazerolle, L., Antrobus, E., Bennett, S., & Eggins, E. (2017). Truancy and fostering a willingness to attend school: Results from a randomized trial of a police-school partnership program. Prevention Science, 18(1), 469–480.
McLeod, J. (2010). The effectiveness of workplace counselling: A systematic review. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 10(4), 238- 248.
Ministry of Health. (2017). Adolescent health survey, national health morbidity survey 2017. Institute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Kuala Lumpur.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th Ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Sage.
Miller, R., & Taylor, D. D. (2016). Does Adlerian Therapy stand the test of time? Examining individual psychology from a neuroscience perspective. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 55(1), 111-129.
Mohd-Daud, N. A., & Bond, T. (2013). Cultural values and attitudes towards guidance and counselling services in one secondary school in Malaysia: The role of a school cultural system. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 41(5), 544-558.
Mohd-Nawawi, A., Mohd, A., Md-Saad, N., Baharuddin, J., & Ismail, S. N. (2016). Hubungan antara gaya pengajaran guru dengan tahap ponteng sekolah menengah di daerah Bachok, Kelantan [Relationship between teacher teaching style with truancy among secondary school in Bachok district, Kelantan]. In Proceeding of ICECRS, International Seminar on Generating Knowledge through Research, UUM-UMSIDA, 25-27 October. Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia.
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1-13.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Rasmussen, P. R. (2014). The task, challenges, and obstacles of parenting. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 70(2), 90-113.
Sackett, C. R., & Cook, R. M. (2021). An exploration of young clients’ experiences in counseling with post-master’s counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 99(1), 72-83.
Sackett, C. R., & Lawson, G. (2016). A phenomenological inquiry of clients’ meaningful experiences in counseling with counselors-in-training. Journal of Counseling & Development, 94(1), 62–71.
See, C. M., & Ng, K. M. (2010). Counseling in Malaysia: History, current status, and
future trends. Journal of Counseling & Development, 88(1), 18–22.
Shaari, A. (2014). Kesan kaunseling individu terapi rasional emosi dan tingkah laku (REBT), kaunseling sedia ada (KSA) dan kumpulan kawalan (KK) terhadap tingkah laku agresif murid sekolah menengah [The impact of the rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) and basic counselling skills on secondary school students with agressive behavior]. (Unpublished Phd thesis). Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Shah, S. A., Abdullah, A., Aizudddin, A. N., Hassan, M. R., Safian, N., Hod, R., & Mohd-Amin, R. (2012). Psycho-behavioural factors contributing to truancy among Malay secondary school students in Malaysia. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 13(2), 128-137.
Suboh, A., Azizi, N., & Hamzah, M. (2011). Masalah salah laku agresif di kalangan pelajar sekolah menengah dan hubungannya dengan gaya keibubapaan [The problem of aggressive behaviour among secondary school students and its relationship with parenting style]. Journal of Education Psychology and Counselling, 1(March), 77-93.
Veloo, A., & Ng, C. K. (2014). Jenis amaran dan faktor ponteng sekolah dalam kalangan pelajar sekolah menengah di Sabah [Types of school warnings and truancy factors among secondary school students in Sabah]. Asia Pacific Journal of Educators and Education, 29(1), 125-139.
Watts, R. (2012). On the origin of striving for superiority and social interest. In J. Carlson & M. Maniacci (Eds.), Alfred Adler revisited (pp. 41–46). Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
Yoep, N., Tupang, L., Jai, A. N., Lim, K. K., Paiwai, F., & Mohd Nor, N. S. (2016). Prevalence of truancy and its associated factors among school-going Malaysian adolescents: Data from global school-based health survey 2012. Psychology, 7(1), 1053-1060.
Zakaria, M. S. (2016). Pengalaman kaunseling individu dan kesannya terhadap perkembangan sahsiah pelajar sekolah menengah di daerah Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia [Experiences of individual counseling and its impact on the development of secondary school students in Hulu Langat district, Selangor, Malaysia]. (Unpublished master thesis). Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Published
2022-01-13
How to Cite
Mat Min, R., Brahim, S. S., Mohd Yusoff, R. A., & Ramley, F. (2022). Truancy among school children: Reasons and counselling experiences. Journal of Nusantara Studies (JONUS), 7(1), 79-99. https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp79-99
Section
Articles
