The Disengaged Middle/High School Adolescent

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of disengaged middle/high school teenagers who have difficulty attending school due to a desire to do fun things outside of school during school hours and who may feel disconnected from school. The chapter focuses on helping parents better monitor their child’s whereabouts, setting up regular meetings with their child, developing written agreements for getting ready for school and for going to school, escorting a child to school and from class to class, helping a child know what to do and say to decline offers to miss school, changing what parents say to their child, and helping a child become more engaged at school. The chapter also covers special topics and circumstances that are common to this type of situation.