”Man hamnar i det här skyttegravskriget” - En kvalitativ studie av svenska skolkuratorers arbete med problematisk skolfrånvaro

Sammanfattning: The focus of this study was to research the experience of problematic school absenteeism as a phenomenon among Swedish school counselors, as well as their experience of working with problematic school absenteeism and its consequences. To gather empirical evidence for this study, five semi structured interviews were performed. The sample used in the study was made up of five school counselors who are all working within the compulsory school stages in four different municipalities in western Sweden. A thematic analysis was then used to analyze the empirical evidence gathered in the study. The theoretical framework of the study was formed using elements of both systems theory and communications theory, with extra focus on the different systemic levels found in the socio-ecological perspective of system theory, as well as nonverbal communication and the initiative-response model. This study has shown that Swedish school counselors identify a multitude of factors that could potentially lead to problematic school absenteeism, and that good working relationships between all those involved are crucial to address this issue effectively.