Family relationships, parental involvement and school refusal in adolescents

Mladostništvo je razvojno obdobje velikih sprememb. Je čas fizičnega in psihičnega dozorevanja iz otroka v odraslega, ki s svojimi razvojnimi nalogami in izzivi sooča vse družinske člane. Družinski odnosi, za katere so značilni medsebojna povezanost, vzajemno zaupanje, kakovostna komunikacija in varna navezanost, so dobro izhodišče za zdrav razvoj mladostnika. Izobraževanje in pridobivanje poklicne kvalifikacije je pomemben del odraščanja ter priprav na samostojno življenje. V sodobnem času vključevanje in zanimanje staršev za šolanje otroka predstavlja del družinskega življenja, ki v primernih okvirih predstavlja ustrezno podporo, nadzor in spremljanje dogajanja v šolskem okolju ter vpliva na otrokov odnos do šole, na delovne navade ter izobrazbene aspiracije. Nerazrešeni izzivi odraščanja lahko vplivajo na odnos do šole ter privedejo do odklanjanja, v skrajnem primeru do opustitve izobraževanja. V magistrskem delu smo predstavili teoretični okvir, ki proučuje družino kot varovalni dejavnik oziroma dejavnik tveganja za razvoj absentizma. S kvantitativno raziskavo smo preverili in potrdili povezanost med družinskimi odnosi, vpletenostjo staršev ter vplivom na odklanjanje šole ter ugotavljali razlike glede na demografske značilnosti udeležencev (starost, spol, izobraževalni program). V raziskavo je bilo vključenih 282 srednješolcev, starih med 15 in 20 let, ki so obiskovali različne izobraževalne programe. Odgovorili so na vprašalnik, ki je vseboval demografska vprašanja ter vprašalnik, ki ocenjuje odnose s starši (stopnjo vzajemnega zaupanja, kakovost komunikacije in stopnjo jeze oz. odtujitve), vprašalnik vključenosti staršev v šolanje, njihovo zanimanje za šolsko delo in pomembnost dosežka ter vprašalnik o mladostnikovemu odnosu do šole in morebitnim pojavom odklonilnega vedenja ter razlogih in funkcijah izostajanja. Izsledki raziskave so potrdili, da so dimenzije dobrih družinskih odnosov in vključenosti staršev v šolanje pozitivno povezane z odnosom mladostnika do šolanja. Potrdili smo hipotezo, da so kakovostni odnosi mladostnikov s starši povezani z vpletenostjo staršev v njegovo šolanje. Boljši kot so odnosi, večja je vključenost v šolanje. Potrdili smo tudi hipotezo, da čim boljši kot so odnosi s starši, manj je odklanjanja šole pri mladostniku. Prav tako smo potrdili hipotezo, da bolj kot so starši vpleteni v šolanje mladostnika, manj je odklanjanja šole. Ovrgli smo predpostavko, da obstajajo, glede na spol in starost, statistično pomembne razlike v kakovosti odnosa s starši in njihove vpletenosti v šolanje. Ugotovili smo, da obstajajo statistično pomembne razlike v nekaterih funkcijah odklanjanja šole glede na izobraževalni program.Adolescence is a period of significant development. Adolescents go through many physical, mental, and intellectual changes. The transition between childhood and adulthood confronts all family members with its developmental tasks and challenges. Family relationships, characterized by interconnectedness, mutual trust, good quality of communication and secure attachment, are a good foundation of healthy development. Education and acquiring professional qualifications are important parts of growing up and preparing for independent living. In modern times, the involvement and interest of parents in their child\u27s schooling is a part of family life, which provides support, appropriate monitoring and control. It affects the student\u27s attitude towards school, study habits and educational aspirations. Unresolved challenges of growing up without proper support can lead to school refusal or even dropouts. In the master\u27s thesis, we presented a theoretical framework that studies the family as a protective factor or risk factor for the development of absenteeism. The quantitative research examined and confirmed the correlations between family relationships, parental involvement and the impact on school refusal. It identified differences according to the demographic characteristics of the participants (age, gender, educational programme). The study included 282 high school students aged 15 to 20 who attended various educational programmes. They answered a questionnaire containing demographic questions and a questionnaire assessing relationships with parents (level of mutual trust, quality of communication and level of anger or alienation), a questionnaire about parent involvement in schooling, their interest in school work and the importance of achievement, and a questionnaire on the adolescent\u27s attitude towards school and the possible occurrence of school refusal behaviour, as well as the reasons and functions of truancy and absenteeism. The results of the research confirmed that the dimensions of good family relations and parental involvement in schooling positively relate to the adolescent\u27s attitude towards school. We confirmed the hypothesis that the quality of relationships between parents and adolescents is related to parental involvement in schooling. The better the relationships are, the more involved parents are in education. We confirmed the hypothesis that the better the relationships with the parents are, the less adolescents refuse school. We also confirmed the hypothesis that the more parents are involved in adolescent schooling, the less school refusal there is. The results are statistically significant. We could not confirm assumptions regarding gender and age. There was no statistically significant difference in the quality of relationships with parents and their involvement in schooling according to gender or age. We confirmed statistically significant differences in certain functions of school refusal according to the educational programmes