Social Connection and School Refusal: Exploring Protective Factors for Student Well-Being.

The well-being of students is a fundamental factor in their academic, emotional, and social development. In this regard, school refusal, a specific form of attendance problem characterized by the persistent difficulty of attending or remaining in school due to emotional distress, that poses a direct threat to the holistic well-being of the student. This phenomenon can negatively impact academic performance, emotional adjustment, and interpersonal relationships. Among the most relevant protective factors, the connection with peers within the school environment has been identified as a key element, as it fosters a sense of belonging, emotional security, and social support, all of which are fundamental pillars of school well being. Nevertheless, empirical evidence linking these variables remains scarce. Therefore, the present study examines differences in the perception of peer connection based on the level of school refusal, as well as its predictive capacity. The sample consisted of 457 students aged 12 to 18, who completed the instruments What’s Happening In This School? (WHITS) to assess peer connection, and Assessing Reasons for School Non Attendance (ARSNA) to measure school refusal. Analyses were conducted through dichotomization, Student’s t-test, and binary logistic regression. The results confirmed the hypotheses: students with higher levels of school refusal exhibited lower peer connection, and this connection was a negative predictor of school refusal. These findings emphasize the need to promote school interventions focused on strengthening peer relationships and socioemotional well-being as an effective means of preventing school refusal from a positive and preventive perspective.