School phobia: the importance of prompt intervention.

Abstract

School nurses, teachers, administrators, and child study team members annually are confronted with the recurring problem of how to help school phobic children cope with and resolve the fears and anxieties that beset them. In their efforts to aid the phobic child, school personnel must communicate with concerned parents who oftentimes view the school as the primary source of the problems evidenced by their child. Because of the dearth of literature on school phobia, school personnel frequently are uncertain of the proper approach in dealing with the phobic child and the family. The importance of prompt treatment, and the need for good communication among those concerned with the phobic child, are addressed in this article. The manifestation of this disorder is described and theories and intervention methods are reviewed.