WHAT IS A DEFINITION OF SCHOOL PHOBIA?

School phobia is a common childhood behavior problem that refers to a child’s refusal to attend school, often accompanied by irrational fears, physical complaints, temper tantrums and panic or anxiety related to school attendance.  Another term for school phobia is “school refusal.”

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF SCHOOL PHOBIA?

There is no single cause for this disorder; rather, there may be a number of different causes.  For example, factors that may cause a child to develop school phobia include undiagnosed physical illness, disturbed family relationships, and the death of a loved one, separation anxiety, depression, frequent school changes, situational stress or a history of psychiatric problems in one or more family members.  Furthermore, school phobia may arise from something as simple as the beginning of a new school year, attending a new school, having a new teacher or trouble with a teacher or classmate.

WHO IS AT RISK TO DEVELOP SCHOOL PHOBIA?

Children who are especially at risk to develop school phobia include:  1) children whose family members have a history of anxiety disorders; 2) those whose families are experiencing emotional or physical problems; 3) those who have not been separated from their mother or father before entering school and 4) those with an undiagnosed physical problem that may cause the symptoms of school phobia (brain tumor, minimal brain damage or Wilson’s Disease) or make school such an unpleasant experience (learning disability, hearing or vision loss) that a phobia develops.