School Refusal An Empirical Study and System Analysis

The empirical, clinical and theoretical literature on School Refusal is reviewed. A study is reported in which a comprehensive group of forty severe school refusers was compared with a matched control group. They differed on a wide range of variables. The school refusing children were more depressed, anxious, introverted, neurotic, over protected and less intelligent. Their parents' educational attainment and levels of intelligence were lower; they were older and had larger families; father's occupational status was lower and he was often absent from home . The results are discussed. A three level system theory interpretation is presented : child; family; beyond the family. Some therapeutic implications are offered.