¿Por qué faltan los jóvenes a la escuela?: Una exploración de la experiencia escolar del alumnado absentista en Cataluña

The paper explores the phenomenon of school absenteeism from a biographical perspective in a group of young people from secondary schools in Catalonia. A qualitative methodological approach is used to analyze young people's views on their school experience, the meaning they attach to school and the reasons for their absenteeism. Far from the dominant discourses on cultural and social handicap, the results show that it is a process related to school breakdowns and difficulties. School factors were the most recognized, followed by personal and family factors. The causes related to adolescence, the relevance of the bond of friendship and the influence of peer groups, a process that seems to be exacerbated by the boredom and lack of motivation that come with being in class, related to the detachment of young people from the school system.