Flying under the radar

Abstract

School reluctant youth may want to avoid school but do attend. It is important to consider emotional and social functioning in youth with school reluctance, given that such youth may make up an even greater percentage of youth with anxiety disorders than do children who are refusing school, and may exhibit significant impairment, despite their school attendance. This study examined associations among school reluctance, somatic complaints, impairment, and social and emotional functioning in a sample of youth diagnosed with one or more anxiety disorder. Based on child-report, school reluctant (SR) children exhibit greater loneliness, negative affect, and impairment than their non-school reluctant (NSR) peers. SR children have greater somatic problems than NSR children according to parent-report and greater social problems according to teacher-report. Results of this study suggest the need for parents, teachers, and clinicians to work together in the treatment of school reluctance in children with anxiety disorders.