Author Description

State-of-the-art assessment and treatment of school refusal are detailed in this comprehensive new resource. Authored by three internationally respected scholars and clinicians, the guide is written from a clinical behavioral perspective and provides practical help for professionals responsible for the management of school-refusing children. The authors have filled the pages with literature reviews on important aspects of school refusal and have included numerous practical guidelines for effective assessment and treatment. Bringing together major educational, psychological, and psychiatric forces, this book illustrates the team approach with several disciplines involved including educational psychology, clinical psychology, and child psychiatry. After defining school refusal and elaborating on the clinical presentation of school refusal, the authors provide useful suggestions for using assessment instruments and diagnostic procedures. Examples of many instruments and protocols, along with comments on the reliability and validity of various assessment tools, are provided. In their comprehensive approach to treatment, the authors outline behavioral and cognitive strategies that can be used for managing school-refusing children including relaxation training, systematic desensitization, emotive imagery, shaping and contingency management, modeling, and cognitive restructuring. Suggestions and clinical tips for each of the procedures and two illustrative case studies make the information useful for practicing professionals.