Impact of developmental disability on school absenteeism in U.S. children aged 6-17 years: National Survey of Children’s Health, 2016-2017 Público

Abstract

Background: In the United States, approximately seven million students are chronically absent from school and students with disabilities are 1.5 times more likely to be chronically absent than students without a disability. Little research has been conducted to assess the relationship between developmental disability and school absenteeism and even fewer studies have considered the effect the condition’s severity may have on a child’s odds of school absenteeism.

 

Purpose: Using the bioecological systems theory, this study sought to examine the impact of individual developmental disabilities and disability severity on school absenteeism using data from the 2016-2017 National Survey of Children’s Health.

 

Methods: This study conducted a secondary analysis using combined data from the 2016-2017, National Survey of Children’s Health. School absenteeism was assessed using data indicating the child missed 11 or more school days in the past year. Developmental disabilities assessed in this study included attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, developmental delay, speech/language disorder, autism/ASD, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and Tourette syndrome. Bivariate relationships were examined using tests and multivariable logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios adjusting for individual, microsystem, and macrosystem factors.

 

Results: Almost 4% of the sample missed 11 or more school days in the past year and children with a developmental disability had a significantly higher percentage of school absenteeism compared to children without a selected developmental disability. The odds of school absenteeism differed by age range and between individual developmental disabilities. There also appears to be a dose-response relationship for certain developmental disabilities between school absenteeism and the severity of the condition, although there appears to be influence from individual, microsystem, and macrosystem level factors.

 

Conclusion: Children with one or more developmental disability have higher odds of school absenteeism compared to children with typical development. These odds are not consistent across different age ranges or across individual conditions. The odds of school absenteeism also appear to be impacted by the severity of the disability for certain conditions. This population could benefit from targeted school interventions to assist with regular school attendance and mitigate the impact of school absenteeism on education.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 

LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................5 

Education and Health ...................................................................................................................... 5 

School Absenteeism ......................................................................................................................... 6 

Risk Factors for School Absenteeism ............................................................................................. 7 

Developmental Disability ............................................................................................................... 11 

Developmental Disability and School Absenteeism ...................................................................... 18 

Theoretical Framework: Bioecological Systems Theory ............................................................. 20 

Formal Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................. 22 

METHODS .......................................................................................................................24 

Study Design, Participants, Sampling ........................................................................................... 24 

Measures ........................................................................................................................................ 25 

Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 28 

RESULTS .........................................................................................................................30 

Univariate Analyses ....................................................................................................................... 30 

Bivariate Analyses ......................................................................................................................... 32 

Logistic Regression Analyses ........................................................................................................ 33 

Additional Analyses Assessing Disability Severity ....................................................................... 36 

DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................................40 

Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 40 

Strengths and Limitations ............................................................................................................. 43 

Implications and Future Research ............................................................................................... 45 

REFERENCES .................................................................................................................49 

TABLES ............................................................................................................................63 

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health Education, Gifted
Palabra Clave	school absenteeism developmental disability
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Robin McGee, Emory University
Committee Members	Anna Rubstova, Emory University Jessica Sales, Emory University

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