The predictors of school refusal: Depression, anxiety, cognitive distortion and attachment

Abstract

School refusal is one of the main problems observed in almost all levels of education in Turkey. This problem is characterized by difficulties in going to school, staying at school for an entire day or not feeling well at school. School refusal is commonly associated with cognitive evaluations and emotional problems, and it may also be a source for various other problems. The purpose of this study is to do a research about the predictor power of depression, negative thoughts and attachment styles in school refusal through the sample of Turkish students. Furthermore, the school refusal behavior has also been analysed in terms of some demographical variables such as gender, perceived socio-economic level, and parents’ educational level. The study group consisted of 340 secondary school students studying in Istanbul. School Refusal Assessment Scale-R, The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Short Version, The Experiences in Close Relationships Middle Childhood, and Three Dimensions of Cognitive Scale were used as measurements. Results have indicated that school refusal is predicted by anxiety, depression and negative thoughts but is not predicted by attachment styles such as avoidance and anxiety attachment. The results have been presented and discussed in the light of the literature.