Family Therapy for School Nonattendance Problems: A Narrative Approach

Abstract In the Chinese context of Hong Kong, education is seen as important for building character and social achievement. In the dominant social discourse, students encountering school attendance problems are often considered either psychologically dysfunctional or socially deviant, and their parents are viewed as incompetent or irresponsible. With the concrete case example, this paper illustrates how narrative therapy provides a space for students’ voices and critical perspectives. It also helps families resist and renegotiate the oppressive meritocratic ideology promoted in the education system and in society. Integration of the systemic and the narrative approaches in the practice is also discussed.