Treatment for School Refusal Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Abstract

Objective: School refusal is a psychosocial problem associated with adverse short- and long-term consequences for children and adolescents. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effects of psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with school refusal. Method: A comprehensive search process was used to find eligible randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies assessing the effects of psychosocial treatments on anxiety or attendance outcomes. Data were quantitatively synthesized using meta-analytic methods. Results: Eight studies including 435 children and adolescents with school refusal were included in this review. Significant effects were found for attendance but not for anxiety. Conclusions: Evidence indicates that improvements in school attendance occur for children and adolescents with school refusal who receive psychosocial treatment. The lack of evidence of short-term effects on anxiety points to the need for long-term follow-up studies to determine whether increased attendance ultimately leads to reduced anxiety.

DOI

10.1177/1049731515598619

Publication Title

Research on Social Work Practice

Volume Number

28

Issue Number

1

First Page

56

Last Page

67

ISSN

10497315

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