Cognitive-behavioral treatment of school-refusing children: a controlled evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of a 4-week cognitive-behavioral treatment program for children who refuse to go to school.


METHODS
Thirty-four school-refusing children (aged 5 to 15 years) were randomly assigned to a cognitive-behavioral treatment condition or a waiting-list control condition. Treatment consisted of individual child cognitive-behavioral therapy plus parent/teacher training in child behavior management skills. Measures taken before and after treatment included school attendance, child self-report of emotional distress and coping, caregiver reports on emotional and behavioral problems, and clinician ratings of global functioning.


RESULTS
Relative to waiting-list controls, children who received cognitive-behavioral therapy exhibited a significant improvement in school attendance. These children also improved on self-reports of fear, anxiety, depression, and coping. Significant improvements also occurred in relation to caregiver reports and clinician ratings. Maintenance of therapeutic gains was demonstrated at a 3-month follow-up assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive-behavioral treatment of school refusal was efficacious and acceptable. The relative contributions of child therapy and parent/teacher training require further study.
King
N J
NJ
Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Tonge
B J
BJ
Heyne
D
D
Pritchard
M
M
Rollings
S
S
Young
D
D
Myerson
N
N
Ollendick
T H
TH
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*