The Netherlands Autism Register is conducting a study on (long-term) school absenteeism of students with autism in the Netherlands, called ATTEND. This research will contribute to a better understanding of early signs associated with the onset of (long-term) school absenteeism or its resolution.
Purpose of research
From existing data in the NAR, we know that about 11% of autistic students aged 5 to 15 do not attend school (school absenteeism). We want to better understand what factors are associated with the development of school absenteeism of these students. In addition, for the first time according to an international standard, we will examine four different forms of absenteeism: 1) truancy - your child does not attend school without your knowledge, 2) school refusal - your child does not want to go to school himself, 3) not letting your child go to school - as a parent, you decide that your child will not go to school, and 4) school exclusion - the school expels your child from school. Through your participation in the survey, you are contributing to the knowledge surrounding this important topic.
Who can participate?
We invite all parents of school-aged children with autism aged 5 to 15 to participate in this survey. Even if your child does currently attend school in full or in part. You decide whether to participate in the study. Your participation is entirely voluntary. If you decide not to participate, you do not have to do anything else. You also do not have to say why you do not want to participate. If you do participate, you can always change your mind and stop completing the questionnaire anyway. If you decide to quit before completing the questionnaire, your answers will not be included in the study.
Content of the questionnaire
You will first complete the basic NAR questionnaire. If you register before January 2025, you will receive an invitation in February for an additional questionnaire on education and educational absenteeism. The additional questionnaire will ask the following topics starting in February: how many half-days was your child absent from school in the past four school weeks and what was the reason for that, how well does the school meet your child's needs, how well does your child connect at school or in the neighborhood, to what extent do you help your child with school activities, and to what extent does your child have feelings of anxiety or depression?
Data confidentiality
We understand that the proper handling of personal information is very important. To protect your privacy, we give your personal information, such as your name or email address a code. We keep the code in a secure place at the university. When we process your data, we always use only that code and never your personal data, such as your name or email address. Results of the research are only fed back at the group level. Even in reports and publications about the research, no one can trace back that it was about you. All your data will remain confidential. NAR's data collection complies with AVG requirements.
You can find more information about how the NAR handles your data on our website.
What happens to the results of the survey?
With the results of the survey, we provide education and advocacy organisations with facts and insights they can use to further work on reducing school absenteeism and providing education to all children.
