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

$49

Helping Your Young Client Persevere in the Face of Learning Differences

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. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135), licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0100, and licensed social workers #SW-0664 (Note: New York counselors, marriage & family therapists, and social workers will receive 4 continuing education credits for completing this self-study course); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501 - Note: Ohio MFTs completing this course will receive 4 clinical continuing education credits); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635) (all courses are reported within two business days of completion).

COURSE DIRECTIONS

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation. Click here to learn more.

Have a question? Contact us. We’re here to help!

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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