School Attendance Problems (SAPs)—encompassing School Refusal, Truancy, School Withdrawal, and School Exclusion—affect millions of youth globally. Grounded in Christopher Kearney and Wendy Silverman’s Functional Model of School Refusal Behavior, school refusal is not simple delinquency or willful disobedience; it is an anxiety-based condition maintained by specific functional reinforcers. Compounded frequently by Peer Victimization (Bullying and Cyberbullying) and toxic academic performance perfectionism. The School Refusal, Bullying and Academic Stress Psychoeducation Module provides 9 structured video lessons covering Kearney’s 4 functional maintaining mechanisms, Olweus bullying intervention frameworks, and graded school reintegration protocols.
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Christopher Kearney’s 4 Functions of School Refusal
- Avoidance of Negative Affectivity: Staying home to escape generalized anxiety, somatic dread, or panic triggered by the school environment.
- Escape from Aversive Social and Evaluative Situations: Avoiding tests, oral presentations, athletic performance, or peer social scrutiny (Social Anxiety).
- Attention-Seeking / Separation Anxiety: Staying home to maintain proximity to primary caregivers or out of fear of family catastrophe.
- Pursuit of Tangible Rewards Outside of School: Staying home to sleep in, play video games, watch television, or hang out with peers (Truancy).
Graded School Re-Entry Protocol
Treatment addresses the specific underlying function: conducting graduated exposure hierarchies (visiting the empty school building on a weekend → attending one favorite subject with a designated safe staff member → half-days → full re-integration), eliminating home tangible incentives, and actively resolving any peer victimization.
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