Established and novel multivariate methods were used to examine informants' rankings of 73 motives/causes for truancy. Five main relatively homogeneous clusters of motives/causes emerged, two covering a previously recognized pattern of parent-condoned truancy, and three related to recognized syndromes of adolescent delinquency. It was suggested that there may be considerable cluster differences in developmental antecedents, prognosis, and effective interventions. (Author/KB)