Sangeetha, Madhu (2009) School Refusal Factors and Its Psychosocial Concomitants. Doctoral thesis, The Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai.
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Abstract
The first issue, defining the essential features of school refusal behavior, began to evolve after 19th century registration, mandated compulsory education for children in England and United States. Researchers first considered non-attendance as a sentential problem illegal truancy) and later a clinical entity (psycho neurotic truancy / school refusal) in need of study (Broadwin, 1932; Partridge, 1939) Today problematic absenteeism is listed in DSM IV as one symptom of conduct (“Often truant from school”) and separation anxiety (“persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school”) disorder. (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) Unfortunately, previous definitions of school refusal behavior do not fare favorably in terms of explicitness or reliability. School refusal behavior may be generally defined as child motivated refusal to attend school or difficulties remaining in class rooms for an entire day. Kearney and Silverman (1995) proposed a compound functional analytic model of school refusal behavior. The present study is based on their conceptual framework. To assess the psycho social profile of School refusal behavior based on a functional/theory/driven model of assessment and study the factors associated with School refusal behavior. RESEARCH DESIGN: A cross sectional ex post facto design was used for the study. SAMPLE SELECTION: A purposive sample of 160 children was screened for school refusal behavior based on Kearney and Silverman’s operational definition, at The Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Egmore and Stanley Medical College and Hospital (Chennai). Children of either sex, 5 – 15 yrs old, with full scale IQ of <80 were included. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION: Children who fulfilled the criteria for school refusal as the primary problem were assessed on the following scales: School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS - Child version, Kearney and Silverman, 1995), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI - Maria Kovacs, 1985), State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC, Spielberger, 1973) and NIMHANS Index of Specific Learning Disability (Kapur [et al.], 1991) and Binet Kamath Test of General Mental Ability (Kamath, 1973). The parents were administered an Interview Schedule, School Refusal Assessment Scale (SRAS – Parent version, Kearney and Silverman, 1995), and Revised Child Behavior Check List (CBCL, Shenoy, 1996). Data analysis:Data was analyzed using SPSS version 11 Statistical package. Descriptive (percentages, mean and Std deviations) and inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, chi square, and multiple regression analysis) were used to analyze the data. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Results indicated that children with school refusal exhibited significant levels of anxiety, depression, learning difficulty and behavioral problems. Sex of the child, socio economic status, parental education, occupation, and presence of precipitating factors, examination anxiety, and pathological family functioning and depression, anxiety, internalizing/externalizing symptoms were significant predictors of school refusal factors. The study highlights the utility of the functional assessment model, the heterogeneity of the sample and the need for assigning treatment strategies for children with school refusal behavior to enhance effectiveness. Problematic school non attendance is likely to be one of the most pressing social problems. Resources to provide systemic (eg. alternative schools) and molecular (specialized clinics) solutions are thus considered imperative.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
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| Uncontrolled Keywords: | School Refusal Factors, Psychosocial Concomitants, Post‐traumatic stress disorder. |
| Subjects: | Respiratory Medicine > Psychiatry > Respiratory Medicine > Psychiatry |
| Depositing User: | Devi S |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Jun 2017 10:30 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Sep 2022 04:07 |
| URI: | http://repository-tnmgrmu.ac.in/id/eprint/135 |
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