The Functional Profiles of School Refusal Behavior: Diagnostic Aspects
Abstract
School refusal behavior is a common problem seen by mental health professionals and by educators but little consensus is available as to its classification, assessment, and treatment. This study assessed 143 youth with primary school refusal behavior and their parents to examine diagnoses that are most commonly associated with proposed functions of school refusal behavior. As expected, results indicated that great heterogeneity in diagnoses marks this population. In general, anxiety-related diagnoses were associated more with negatively reinforced school refusal behavior; separation anxiety disorder was associated more with attention-seeking behavior; and oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder were associated more with pursuit of tangible reinforcement outside of school. These results are discussed within the context of classification, assessment, and treatment of this population.
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Several studies indicate that many youth with school attendance problems have no psychiatric diagnosis at all.
“In addition, several studies indicate that many youth with school attendance problems have no psychiatric diagnosis at all (Egger et al., 2003; Kearney and Albano, 2004).”
From Reconciling Contemporary Approaches to School Attendance and School Absenteeism: Toward Promotion and Nimble Response, Global Policy Review and Implementation, and Future Adaptability (Part 1) (2019) · cites this paper as Kearney and Albano, 2004
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- Authors
- Kearney, C. A., & Albano, A. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (US)
- New York University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kearney, Christopher A.
- Venue
- Behavior Modification
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-01
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 147-161
- ISSN
- 0145-4455 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-4167
- OpenAlex
- W1999621341
- Cited by
- 278
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 31.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavior Modification (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Youth Substance Use and School Attendance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- school refusal, functional behavior analysis, negative reinforcement, separation anxiety disorder, attention seeking, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, tangible reinforcement, youth, parental attitudes
- MeSH terms
- Absenteeism, Anxiety, Separation, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Female, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Schools, Students, Comorbidity
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