IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v181y2026ics0190740925006188.html

Prevalence and correlates of truancy in the United States post-covid-19: results from a national sample

Author

Listed:
  • Vaughn, Michael G.
  • Chen, Jun-Hong
  • Maynard, Brandy R.
  • Bandaru, Yohita Shraddha
  • Schweiger, Abigail

Abstract

Truancy has long been considered a common problem, and COVID-19 has likely increased rates. Knowledge about factors associated with truancy can guide the development and implementation of developmentally appropriate scaffolds. This paper examined the prevalence and correlates in truancy for 2022 and 2023 using data from a large national sample of adolescents (age = 12–17 years). We estimated truancy prevalence and examined correlates via weighted regression analyses. The overall prevalence of truancy was 23.4 % and 25.7 % in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Multinomial regression analyses revealed that, in addition to externalizing behaviors (e.g., fighting, carrying a handgun, selling drugs, stealing, dangerous behaviors, and substance use) being significantly associated with increased risk of truancy, school (e.g., liking school, meaningfulness and interest in school, being supported by teachers, grades, and participation in school activities) and parental engagement (e.g., checking homework, providing positive reinforcement, and monitoring and supervision) factors were at lower likelihoods of endorsement compared to non-truant youth. Dramatic increases in truancy prevalence were observed compared to pre-pandemic levels. Attention to the details of truancy prevention implementation plans and strengthening the longitudinal evidence base are badly needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Vaughn, Michael G. & Chen, Jun-Hong & Maynard, Brandy R. & Bandaru, Yohita Shraddha & Schweiger, Abigail, 2026. "Prevalence and correlates of truancy in the United States post-covid-19: results from a national sample," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:181:y:2026:i:c:s0190740925006188
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108735
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740925006188
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108735?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:181:y:2026:i:c:s0190740925006188. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.