Cognitive-behavioral treatment of school phobia.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a controlled group outcome investigation of the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment for school phobia.


METHODS
Fifty-six children with school phobia were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy or an attention-placebo control condition. Pre- and posttreatment school attendance, self-reported anxiety and depression, and diagnostic status were compared.


RESULTS
Both the experimental and control treatments were equally effective at returning children to school. Both treatments also were effective in reducing children's anxiety and depressive symptoms. Follow-up revealed no differences between groups when the children reentered school the next school year.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, results suggest that psychosocial treatments are effective at returning school-phobic children to school and that the highly structured cognitive-behavioral approach may not be superior to more traditional educational and supportive treatment methods.
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Anxiety Treatment Center at the Center for Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Coral Springs, FL, USA.
Hansen
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Franco
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D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*