Behavioral Treatment of Acute Onset School Refusal in a 5-year old Girl with Separation Anxiety Disorder

• Published in: Education & treatment of children Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 150 - 160
• Main Author: Gosschalk, Philip O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York The Roscoe Ledger 01-05-2004; Springer
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety in children; Beds; Behavior disorders; Behavior Modification; Behavioral health care; Behavioral medicine; Behavioural medicine; Care and treatment; Child psychiatry; Childhood anxiety; Children & youth; Classification; Intervention; Mental health; Mothers; Outcomes of Treatment; Parent Participation; Parents; Positive Reinforcement; Preschool children; Preschool Education; Preschool Teachers; School attendance; School Phobia; School refusal; Separation Anxiety; Separation anxiety (Child psychology); STUDIES; Teacher Role; Young Children; United States
• ISSN: 0748-8491; 1934-8924

This paper describes the behavioral treatment of acute onset school refusal in a 5-year old girl with Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD). A functional classification was used to select a treatment approach that involved the parent and teacher using shaping, positive reinforcement and extinction. Results showed that by the end of the fifth week of treatment, the child was attending full time schooling and no longer met the criteria for SAD. Treatment gains were maintained at 4 and 12-month follow-ups. Results are discussed in terms of the efficacy of the treatment, the involvement of teachers and parents, and the treatment utility of a functional classification.