The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the factors causing school refusal and in-turn diagnose a school-based intervention designed to retain students. This study specifically addressed the use of a teacher mentor intervention for school refusal students as a means of improving attendance, academics, social and emotional well being and improve their overall mindset about school. The focus group for this study was 15 general education sophomore students enrolled in a resiliency program at a large suburban Massachusetts high school. These students selected for the resiliency intervention program met the following criteria: a) all participants are sophomores; b) participants were absent 10% or more during their freshman year; c) participants were struggling or failing courses during their freshman year; and e) participants, once selected for the resiliency intervention program, agreed to participate. Two instrument tools were utilized to gain qualitative data for this study. A student questionnaire and survey allowed for data to be coded and placed into four themes. The four key themes emerged from student responses to the instrument tools: 1) examining the relationship between the teacher mentor and the student, 2) impact on student growth and academic improvement due to mentoring, 3) student satisfaction and overall positive experience with their mentor, and 4) as a result of mentoring received, school attendance and retention had become important. When paired with a teacher mentor, school refusal students experienced improved academics, better attendance and an overall improved attitude towards school.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the factors causing school refusal and in-turn diagnose a school-based intervention designed to retain students. This study specifically addressed the use of a teacher mentor intervention for school refusal students as a means of improving attendance, academics, social and emotional well being and improve their overall mindset about school. The focus group for this study was 15 general education sophomore students enrolled in a resiliency program at a large suburban Massachusetts high school. These students selected for the resiliency intervention program met the following criteria: a) all participants are sophomores; b) participants were absent 10% or more during their freshman year; c) participants were struggling or failing courses during their freshman year; and e) participants, once selected for the resiliency intervention program, agreed to participate. Two instrument tools were utilized to gain qualitative data for this study. A student questionnaire and survey allowed for data to be coded and placed into four themes. The four key themes emerged from student responses to the instrument tools: 1) examining the relationship between the teacher mentor and the student, 2) impact on student growth and academic improvement due to mentoring, 3) student satisfaction and overall positive experience with their mentor, and 4) as a result of mentoring received, school attendance and retention had become important. When paired with a teacher mentor, school refusal students experienced improved academics, better attendance and an overall improved attitude towards school.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lyons, Robert G."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education (EdD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Ella Benson","Peter Harrison","Matthew Beyranevand"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:21:05Z","subjects":["Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Methods","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dune.une.edu/theses/57","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Ella Benson","Peter Harrison","Matthew Beyranevand"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lyons, Robert G."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-05-13T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Methods","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dune.une.edu/theses/57"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the factors causing school refusal and in-turn diagnose a school-based intervention designed to retain students. This study specifically addressed the use of a teacher mentor intervention for school refusal students as a means of improving attendance, academics, social and emotional well being and improve their overall mindset about school. The focus group for this study was 15 general education sophomore students enrolled in a resiliency program at a large suburban Massachusetts high school. These students selected for the resiliency intervention program met the following criteria: a) all participants are sophomores; b) participants were absent 10% or more during their freshman year; c) participants were struggling or failing courses during their freshman year; and e) participants, once selected for the resiliency intervention program, agreed to participate. Two instrument tools were utilized to gain qualitative data for this study. A student questionnaire and survey allowed for data to be coded and placed into four themes. The four key themes emerged from student responses to the instrument tools: 1) examining the relationship between the teacher mentor and the student, 2) impact on student growth and academic improvement due to mentoring, 3) student satisfaction and overall positive experience with their mentor, and 4) as a result of mentoring received, school attendance and retention had become important. When paired with a teacher mentor, school refusal students experienced improved academics, better attendance and an overall improved attitude towards school.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Addressing Student School Refusal Through Effective School, Family And Community-Based Interventions"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Ella Benson","Peter Harrison","Matthew Beyranevand"],"dc:creator":["Lyons, Robert G."],"dc:date.available":["2016-05-13T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the factors causing school refusal and in-turn diagnose a school-based intervention designed to retain students. This study specifically addressed the use of a teacher mentor intervention for school refusal students as a means of improving attendance, academics, social and emotional well being and improve their overall mindset about school. The focus group for this study was 15 general education sophomore students enrolled in a resiliency program at a large suburban Massachusetts high school. These students selected for the resiliency intervention program met the following criteria: a) all participants are sophomores; b) participants were absent 10% or more during their freshman year; c) participants were struggling or failing courses during their freshman year; and e) participants, once selected for the resiliency intervention program, agreed to participate. Two instrument tools were utilized to gain qualitative data for this study. A student questionnaire and survey allowed for data to be coded and placed into four themes. The four key themes emerged from student responses to the instrument tools: 1) examining the relationship between the teacher mentor and the student, 2) impact on student growth and academic improvement due to mentoring, 3) student satisfaction and overall positive experience with their mentor, and 4) as a result of mentoring received, school attendance and retention had become important. When paired with a teacher mentor, school refusal students experienced improved academics, better attendance and an overall improved attitude towards school.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dune.une.edu/theses/57"],"dc:subject":["Educational Administration and Supervision","Educational Leadership","Educational Methods","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"dc:title":["Addressing Student School Refusal Through Effective School, Family And Community-Based Interventions"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:21:05Z"}