Management of school phobia

1969 ◽  
Vol 7 (22) ◽  
pp. 86-88

School phobia, or school refusal, is relatively uncommon. It can be distinguished from other causes of failure to attend school, such as simple reluctance or truancy, in that going to school or being in school evokes severe anxiety in the child. School phobia is a manifestation of a neurotic disorder, and is specifically evoked by compulsory school attendance.

1981 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Berney ◽  
I. Kolvin ◽  
S. R. Bhate ◽  
R. F. Garside ◽  
J. Jeans ◽  
...  

SummaryA double-blind trial failed to demonstrate any significant short-term effects of clomipramine in doses recommended for use in general practice (in addition to the usual range of psychotherapeutic help) in the treatment of children with school refusal and neurotic disorder. Patterns of improvement were also studied for the sample as a whole irrespective of treatment. Neither age nor sex were significantly related to improvement, except on one behavioural measure where girls initially did better than boys. In addition, it was found that there was a rapid relief of depression but neurotic symptomatology tended to persist.


Author(s):  
Christopher A. Kearney ◽  
Anne Marie Albano

Chapter 4 describes treatment procedures for children whose school refusal behavior is motivated by a desire to avoid symptoms of dread, anxiety, panic, or depression associated with certain school-related stimuli. For these children, the main goal of treatment is to change avoidance behavior and build coping and active school attendance behaviors. Detailed descriptions of each session are provided, along with homework assignments. The child is taught skills such as relaxation and deep breathing. The use of medications for children with severe anxiety is discussed. Case vignettes and sample dialogues are included.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Gonzálvez ◽  
Miriam Martín ◽  
María Vicent ◽  
Ricardo Sanmartín

In order to reduce school attendance problems and aggressive behavior, it is essential to determine the relationship between both variables. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the mean differences in scores on aggression, based on school refusal behavior, and (2) to analyze the predictive capacity of high scores on aggression, based on school refusal behavior factors. The sample consisted of 1455 Spanish secondary school students, aged 13–17 (M = 14.85; SD = 1.56). The School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (I. Avoidance of negative affectivity, II. Escape from aversive social and/or evaluative situations, III. Pursuit of attention from significant others, and IV. Pursuit of tangible reinforcement outside of school) and the Aggression Questionnaire (I. Physical Aggression, II. Verbal Aggression, III. Anger, and IV. Hostility) were used. Results indicated that students having high levels of Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility received significantly higher scores on school refusal behavior. In most cases, school refusal behavior was found to be a positive and statistically significant predictor of aggression. Students that base their school refusal on the pursuit of tangible reinforcements outside of school earned higher scores, and other functional conditions underlying school refusal behavior were found to be associated with aggression issues. The role of aggression as a risk factor for school refusal behavior is discussed.


Author(s):  
Christopher A. Kearney ◽  
Anne Marie Albano

Chapter 1 introduces the primary focus of this treatment program—problematic school absenteeism. The authors use the term “school refusal behavior” as an overarching construct to represent an inability to maintain age-appropriate functioning vis-à-vis school attendance and/or to adaptively cope with school-related stressors that contribute to nonattendance. School refusal behavior refers to school-aged youths (5–17 years). The treatment program is based on a functional model of school refusal behavior that classifies youths on the basis of what reinforces absenteeism. The procedures are generally cognitive-behavioral in nature. The interventions are sensitive to age and cognitive developmental level as well as key developmental milestones that children and adolescents must achieve. The development of this treatment program and its evidence base, benefits, and risks are presented.


Author(s):  
Carolina Gonzálvez ◽  
Ángela Díaz-Herrero ◽  
María Vicent ◽  
Ricardo Sanmartín ◽  
Antonio M. Pérez-Sánchez ◽  
...  

Not all adolescents with school attendance problems attribute their behavior to the same causes. Knowing the subtypes of students who reject school and their relationship with new variables, such as self-concept, is an unresolved task. This study aimed to identify different school refusal behavior profiles and to determine whether these profiles differed from each other based on the scores of the eleven dimensions of self-concept (Physical appearance, Physical abilities, Parent relations, Same-sex relations, Opposite-sex relations, Honesty, Emotional stability, Self-esteem, Verbal, Math, and General school). The participants were 1315 Spanish students (57.6% male) aged 12–18 years (M = 15.21; SD = 1.74). The School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised and the Self-Description Questionnaire II-Short Form were administered. A latent class analysis revealed four school refusal behavior profiles: Moderately High School Refusal Behavior, Moderately Low School Refusal Behavior, Mixed School Refusal Behavior and Non-School Refusal Behavior. The results indicated that the Mixed School Refusal Behavior group was the most maladaptive profile and revealed the lowest mean scores on self-concept. In contrast, Non-School Refusal and Moderately Low School Refusal Behavior groups revealed the highest scores in all dimensions of self-concept. Implications for working toward the prevention of school refusal in students with low self-concept are discussed.


1988 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. McNamara

The successful resolution of a problem of school phobia using self-management strategies is reported. The clinical report is prefaced by the observation that differences of emphasis are apparent when authorative reviews of the field of self-management are considered—and the conclusion drawn is that the successful outcome could be used to lend support to Kanfer's two-stage model of self-regulation. The client, Anne, was a pupil in the first year of comprehensive schooling. She attended school on only four days during the first term. Problem analyses in terms of operant and classical learning theories are described, and intervention strategies were generated which were accommodated within Kanfer's two-stage model of self regulation. Anne self-recorded school attendance, lesson attendance and self-confidence. School attendance was immediately achieved and progress towards full lesson attendance was made over a seven-week period. Affective state (self-confidence) as assessed by self-report was observed to increase as lesson attendance improved but a temporal lag was observed. The report concludes with some observations of a theoretical nature and justification for the intervention to warrant the descriptor “self-management”.


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