De som slutade gå i skolan
en kvalitativ studie om hemmasittare
Hemmasittare is a new term for children and youths with a history of long term truancy. As the term indicates these youths spend most of their time in their homes. This often results in them being socially alienated and the loss of their earlier social network. The consequences of hemmasittande and social alienation are many and include not only a deficient social network but also psychological and physical problems. Research has shown that many of these problems follow on through into adult life. Earlier research in this area is limited and there is need for more research into preventative measures as well as the psychosocial causes. To carry out the project the qualitative approach has been to conduct five semi structured interviews, three interviews with professionals who work with youths who find themselves in this behavioral situation and two with youths who have been treated for this condition. KASAM and systems theory, including Bronfenbrenner's Ecological systems theory, comprise this thesis' theoretical base. The results show that, both in the youths and professionals interviews, that there is a combination of causes that lead to youths being rooted in their homes rather than attending school. This is corroborated by earlier research. The results also show that the youths experienced their schools efforts at alleviating the problem as being unproductive while being placed in a home for treatment gave results. The professionals experiences show that it is of importance to create a connection between the youth and parents in order to get all parties working in the same direction. Furthermore the professionals consider that in-depth research into each individual case is requisite for deciding upon the correct approach to treating the problem, with a major consideration being that each step in the treatment must be feasible otherwise there is a prominent risk that the treatment will be counterproductive.