The major differences were in school behavior, attitudes, academic ability, and achievement. The most frequent reasons given for truancy were boredom and dislike of school and teachers. Truancy was associated with highly disruptive classroom behavior. The salience of school variables suggests that truancy prevention and intervention strategies should include improved course content, teaching, and school climate. The necessity of having a comparison group is emphasized in order to distinguish characteristics of normal adolescent development from those associated with maladjustment. (Author abstract)