School Refusal Behavior: Children Who Can’t or Won’t Go to School

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School Refusal Behavior: Children Who Can’t or Won’t Go to School

George B. Haarman, PsyD, LMFT

CE Credit: 4 Hours

Learning Level: Intermediate

Course Type: Online

Course Abstract

School Refusal Behavior: Children Who Can’t or Won’t Go to School is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE) course that breaks down the distinction between truancy and school refusal and examines a number of psychological disorders that may be causing - or comorbid with - school refusal. School refusal is a problem that is stressful for children, for their families, and for school personnel. Failing to attend school has significant long and short-term effects on children’s social, emotional, and educational development. School refusal is often the result of, or associated with, comorbid disorders such as anxiety or depression. Careful assessment, treatment planning, interventions, and management of school refusal are critical to attainment of the goal of a successful return to school as quickly as possible. Interventions may include educational support, cognitive therapy, behavior modification, parent/teacher interventions, and pharmacotherapy.

This course will break down the distinction between truancy and school refusal and will examine a number of psychological disorders that may be causing - or comorbid with - school refusal, including separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, social phobia, panic attacks, major depression, dysthymia, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder. Completing the course will assist you in performing a functional analysis of school refusal to determine the motivation and particular reinforcement systems that support the behavior. Specific intervention strategies will be reviewed, with a focus on tailoring and adapting standard approaches to specific situations. Participants will be given the opportunity to review several case studies and develop a sample intervention plan for cases of school refusal.

Course #40-29 | 2011 | 49 pages | 30 posttest questions

Learning Objectives

1.Identify the unique behavioral and clinical features of children who refuse to attend school

2.Name the four types of school refusers

3.Identify the functional purposes served by school refusal

4.List comorbid disorders that frequently underlie school refusal

5.Describe individual, family, and pharmacological treatment approaches to school refusal

6.Develop individualized treatment plans for the various types of school refusal

CE INFORMATION

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) to offer home study continuing education for NCCs (#5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

COURSE DIRECTIONS

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. After enrolling, click on My Account and scroll down to My Active Courses. From here you’ll see links to download/print the course materials and take the CE test (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more.

About the Author(s)

George B. Haarman, PsyD, LMFT, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist currently in private practice. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Spalding University and is a member of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Haarman has been an instructor at Jefferson Community College, Bellarmine University, and Spalding University. He has presented seminars regionally and nationally on psychopathology, depression, and emotional disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Haarman serves as a consultant to several school systems regarding the assessment of children. His prior experience includes working with youth detention centers, juvenile group homes, child protective services, and juvenile probation.

Disclosure:
Financial: No relevant financial relationships exist.
Nonfinancial: No relevant nonfinancial relationships exist.

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