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Abstract

School refusal behavior (SRB), missing school due to truancy, school phobia, or anxiety, occurs in approximately 5–35% of students and often presents considerable challenges for educators, parents, and caregivers (Haight, Kearney, Hendron, & Schafer, 2011; Kearney, Lemos, & Silverman, 2004; Kearney, 2008b). Specifically, SRB is associated with school dropout, social dysfunction, low academic achievement, family conflict, poverty, employment difficulties, psychopathology, suicide attempts, and substance abuse. Not surprisingly, the majority students (56.7%) with SRB also have comorbid conditions such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, enuresis, and posttraumatic stress disorder. A smaller percentage (4.2%) experience conduct disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (Kearney, 2006).

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Correspondence to Heather Martens .

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Martens, H., Gillaspy, J.A., Gillaspy, S.R. (2018). School Refusal Behavior. In: Maragakis, A., O'Donohue, W. (eds) Principle-Based Stepped Care and Brief Psychotherapy for Integrated Care Settings. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70539-2_32

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