Causal Pathways to Risk and Protective Factors for Partial‐Day School Absenteeism for Secondary School Students

The findings highlighted a pattern of partial-day absences directly affecting full-day absences. Additional factors influencing school absences were discovered including (a) a positive association of sleep deprivation with mental health difficulties, and (b) a negative association between school engagement and partial-day absences. These findings emphasize the need for targeted policies addressing the behavioral and structural factors influencing absenteeism. Implications for practice include strategies to enhance engagement and mitigate the impact of sleep deprivation on attendance.