Truancy, School Phobia, or School Fatigue? Understandings of Students’ Absenteeism, 1945–1975

Abstract

Although school absenteeism is often described as a growing problem, it has long posed challenges for educators. This article explores how unwanted school absenteeism was problematised in Sweden between 1945 and 1975. Drawing on archived student records from the school health service concerning students with perceived problematic absenteeism, and published texts by experts such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and teachers, the study examines how the issue was defined, what explanations were offered, what interventions were proposed, and which experts were involved. The analysis uses the concept of psychoculture, referring to ways of thinking shaped by psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis. The article shows how interpretations of absenteeism were historically contingent, influenced by institutional structures, professional agendas, and available methods of interventions.