UC Santa Barbara

The present study examined whether high school students’ ( N = 1,658) self-reported social-emotional strengths collected at the beginning of the school year via schoolwide screening could predict student membership in one of three truancy categories (low, moderate, and high to chronic truancy) using discriminant analysis. Results indicated that student self-reported scores for the social-emotional domains belief-in-self and belief-in-others contributed significantly to the discriminant analysis function for predicting students’ truancy severity classification. In addition, multivariate ANOVA was also conducted to identify whether social-emotional strengths differed by gender and ethnicity (Caucasian and Latino/a students) across the three truancy groups. Caucasian students in the low to moderate truancy groups reported higher overall social-emotional strengths than Latino/a students. Gender differences were also found in the low to moderate truancy groups in that females were less likely to report having strengths in the social-emotional domains belief-in-self and engaged living, while males were less likely to report having a strength in emotional competence. Findings demonstrate the utility of schoolwide screening measures to aid in early identification of truancy and an increased need to create truancy prevention and intervention policies that are gender-specific and culturally sensitive.