YOUTHS' EXPERIENCE WITH SCHOOL REFUSAL IN SINGAPORE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUTHS AND COMMUNITY WORKERS

Abstract

School refusal has been associated with long-lasting consequences, such as undesirable occupational outcomes and problem behaviours. However, not much is known on how local youths how local youths experience school refusal. Hence, this study aims to understand the lived experiences of local school-refusing youths and discover the meaning they make of the factors that motivate their school refusal. This would be from the perspective of community workers and youths not engaged in government-funded school refusal programmes. Based on the qualitative phenomenological research paradigm, individual face-to-face interviews were conducted, and data analysed. An understanding of local youths’ experience of school refusal was gained. The results from this study provided valuable insight into the different complexities local school-refusing youths face, the school refusal cycle as well as delineated possible recommendations to reduce school refusal.