The Theoretical Model of School Refusal: The Self-Efficacy Concept

Maruzairi Husain,Ng Vi Vien

doi:10.51407/mjpch.v25i2.12

Abstract

Introduction: School refusal is a common cause of chronically poor school attendance. The basis of school refusal behaviour can be grouped into the symptomatic and functional models, the operant conditioning model and the cognitive model. Objective: This paper is aimed to discuss the various systems and models which explain the school refusal behaviour. Method: An initial search of published literature in English Language was performed on the online databases including Google Scholar, Science Direct, EBSCOhost, and Proquest with the main keywords were School Refusal and Self–efficacy. Further sources were identified after consulting the original author for recommendations, and references within the literature retrieved in the initial search. Results: Out of 57 articles found, 41 were used in this review. Development and maintenance of school refusal involve heterogeneous risk factors and processes. The existing theoretical basis of school refusal behaviour can be grouped into symptomatic models, the operant conditioning model and the cognitive model. Conclusion: School refusal depicts a symptom, heralding the need for early intervention before development of a more pervasive mental health disorder. Where the problem had persisted for months to years, the child or adolescent would commonly present with coexisting anxiety or depressive disorders.

Highlights

School refusal is a common cause of chronically poor school attendance
The existing theoretical basis of school refusal behaviour can be grouped into symptomatic models, the operant conditioning model and the cognitive model
The existing theoretical basis of school refusal behaviour can be grouped into main schemes: firstly, symptomatic models; secondly is the operant conditioning model and thirdly, the cognitive model

Summary

Introduction

School refusal is a common cause of chronically poor school attendance. The basis of school refusal behaviour can be grouped into the symptomatic and functional models, the operant conditioning model and the cognitive model. Poor school attendance deprives a child from educational opportunities [3], in addition to missing out on basic social, emotional and health services [4] This potentially preventable phenomena have been invariably linked to negative outcomes, both short– and long–term during ensuing adulthood including negatively affect learning and achievement [3] early school drop–out [5], social withdrawal [6], poor social adjustment [7] as well as psychopathology and mental health problems in late adolescence and adulthood [8,9]. Truancy is unwarranted absenteeism from school that the student intentionally concealed from parental or teachers’ awareness [10] It is different from school refusal whereby the child–motivated reluctance or outright refusal to attend or remain in school [11,12].

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Conclusion