School refusal is a common psychological problem that causes a lot of stress for a child. At the same time, the entire environment, including family, friends and school staff, is under a certain pressure. Reduced attendance and refusal to return to school can cause both short and long-term effects on a child’s emotional and social development. School refusal typically results from deeper psychological problems, such as increased anxiety or depression. These problems are important to identify and treat at an early stage when working with the child’s mental state can be more successful. Thus, the main task of research is to find the factors and categorization of problems leading to school abandonment. This requires certain research methods and subsequent evaluation of the results.
Currently, many researchers are working on the issue of identifying and treating problems associated with school abandonment. Elliot and Place, in their article, consider talking to parents and categorizing family factors in the issue of school absenteeism as one of the methods (Elliot & Place, 2019). Children experience stress at home and this translates into their school performance. This describes Chockalingam et al., where the authors pay sufficient attention to the problems and problems in the family, which increases the level of stress in children (Chockalingam et al., 2020). However, Elliot and Place’s study focused on comparing the earlier study with the current study, which led to the conclusion that there was an increase in school dropouts. However, the problem is not included in the psychiatric list and is a concomitant deviation from other difficulties. Chockalingam et al. review previous studies and, on their basis, highlight the factors of absenteeism at school. Based on this, the researchers draw a conclusion and consider the results of the analysis.
The results of Elliot and Place are that the problem is still acute in society and needs to be addressed. The number of absenteeism among children in school continues to increase and requires treatment at an early stage of the problem. At the same time, Chockalingam et al. come to the conclusion that the problem is multifactorial and requires more careful consideration (Chockalingam et al., 2020). Thus, school truancy is an open topic and needs to be studied more carefully.
In addition, many other researchers consider methods of studying the problem through the prism of family relationships and bullying at school. Rosenthal et al. note the difficulty for children and parents during migration, deteriorating relationships and absenteeism from school. Their research is based on works that have explored a similar topic in the past. Additionally, Alali looks at family issues and bullying that lead to hardship and loss of grades. At the same time, Nayak et al. review not only family relationships as research methods but other participants’ diagnoses. Thus, the researchers choose the most appropriate methods and review the results.
At the same time, the researchers’ conclusions are similar and indicate the problem’s relevance. Thus, many subjects have concomitant psychological diagnoses and problems at school. Alali points out that the number of children truant from school is extremely high and carries with it many other diagnoses, including depression (Alali, 2020). Rosenthal et al. focus on the fact that children experience not only family problems but also cross-cultural bullying (Rosenthal et al., 2019). Thus, children experience a negative impact on the educational institution and refuse to attend it.
These articles teach a comprehensive approach to treat the problem. Truancy and school refusal do not occur without accompanying problems, including bullying, depression, and relationships with parents. Thus, the child necessarily needs a visit to a specialist and comprehensive work. In such cases, the student may need medication and long-term observation by a psychologist and psychiatrist. In addition, in addition to a single therapy, it is important to conduct family therapy since the family becomes the initial source of problems.
It is important for school staff to be involved in solving the problem. Teachers and school psychologist can consider measures to involve the child in the team. Moreover, parents should be more actively involved in the life of the class. Employees can give the child feasible assignments for extracurricular activities, praise him for his performance, increasing self-esteem. It is essential to include it in group activities, both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. Together with teachers, parents need to develop a program to eliminate misunderstandings between the teacher and the student to agree on further interaction. Misunderstandings and conflicts between teachers and students are common reasons for absenteeism at school. When visiting a psychologist, it is important to find out in detail this problem and note the level of aggression or apathy in the child.
In the process of research, side topics arise that need to be considered. First, school truancy must be considered in conjunction with other problems. The most frequent of them is bullying and prolonged depression in a child. The occurrence of depression is generated by biological, personal and socio-psychological factors. The current trend in the treatment of depression involves a combination of various methods – biological therapy (drug and non-drug) and psychotherapy, represented by psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, and Gestal therapy.
Often people do not have the necessary information and misunderstand the nature of their condition. It seems to them that if their condition is associated with understandable life difficulties, then this is not depression but a normal human reaction that will pass on its own. Depression will not go away on its own, and the longer a person does not receive professional and qualified help, the more pronounced and deep depressive manifestations will be. Therefore, a person suffering from depression needs medical advice from a qualified specialist, a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist to develop a subsequent individual treatment for depression. Thus, without the help of a professional, the child’s internal state worsens, leading to more absenteeism and lower academic performance.
At the same time, from the side of the state, it is possible to make changes in school policy and interpersonal relations. First of all, it is important to strengthen the monitoring of bullying and rude attitudes at school. Moreover, to toughen the punishment and the suspension period for prolonged manifestation of rudeness towards other students. Moreover, school psychologists should conduct more events aimed at rallying children and their willingness to help each other. In this way, children will be able to feel comfortable and have friends who will provide support.
References
Alali, T. (2020). School Psychologists’ Knowledge of School Refusal Behavior in Children and Adolescents (Doctoral dissertation, Alliant International University).
Chockalingam, M., Skinner, K., Melvin, G., & Yap, M. B. (2022). Modifiable Parent Factors Associated with Child and Adolescent School Refusal: A Systematic Review. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-17.
Elliott, J. G., & Place, M. (2019). Practitioner review: school refusal: developments in conceptualization and treatment since 2000. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(1), 4-15.
Nayak, A., Sangoi, B., & Nachane, H. (2018). School refusal behavior in Indian children: analysis of clinical profile, psychopathology and development of a best-fit risk assessment model. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 85(12), 1073-1078.
Rosenthal, L., Moro, M. R., & Benoit, L. (2020). Migrant parents of adolescents with school refusal: a qualitative study of parental distress and cultural barriers in access to care. Frontiers in psychiatry, 10, 942-954.