TREATMENT RESOURCES
Please find information and treatment resources for school refusal and selective mutism below. Books can be found under the "Dr. Kearney" tab.
School Refusal
School refusal behavior refers to a child-motivated refusal to attend school and/or difficulty remaining in classes for an entire day. The problem includes youths with lengthy absences from school, youths who skip classes during the day, youths who are chronically late to school, youths who show misbehaviors in the morning in an attempt to miss school, and youths who may attend school but do so with great dread and distress. Many youths demonstrate some aspect of school refusal behavior, making it one of the most common childhood behavior problems. In addition, extended school refusal behavior can lead to serious short-term and long-term consequences if left unaddressed. These consequences include academic problems, social alienation, family conflict and stress, school dropout, delinquency, and occupational and marital problems in adulthood.
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Common symptoms of school refusal behavior include anxiety, depression, withdrawal, fatigue, crying, and physical complaints such as stomachaches and headaches. More disruptive symptoms may include tantrums, dawdling, noncompliance, arguing, refusal to move, running away from school or home, and aggression. Many children and adolescents with school refusal behavior show a wide range of constantly changing behaviors. In addition, many youths refuse school for one or more of the following reasons: (1) to avoid school-related situations that cause substantial distress, (2) to escape painful social and/or evaluative school-related situations, (3) to pursue attention from significant others, and (4) to pursue tangible rewards outside of school.
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Resource for Parents Resource for School Officials Resources for Clinicians
Download Clinic Flyer Download School Refusal Behaviors Flyer
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Online Resources:
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https://childmind.org/article/when-kids-refuse-to-go-to-school/
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https://www2.ed.gov/datastory/chronicabsenteeism.html
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Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is a persistent and debilitating condition in which a child fails to speak in public situations where speaking is expected. Children with selective mutism often speak well in familiar situations such as home but do not speak to people in public situations such as parks, shopping malls, restaurants, and school. Failure to speak must last at least one month. Selective mutism does not generally apply to youths with a communication disorder such as stuttering or to youths who lack comfort or knowledge with the primary language spoken in public situations, though many children with selective mutism do have some aspect of a communication disorder.
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Selective mutism affects about 2% of children, with girls slightly more affected than boys. The disorder commonly begins during preschool years but treatment is often delayed by parents or others who believe the problem is temporary. Selective mutism may have a chronic course for some children and can produce significant problems with respect to peer rejection, incomplete verbal academic tasks or standardized tests, or inadequate language or social skills.
Many researchers have linked selective mutism to social anxiety disorder or an extreme form of social anxiety. Others have found children with selective mutism to display characteristics of oppositionality, developmental disorder, depression, and trauma-based reactions. A recent study indicated that children with selective mutism are often present in one of three main groups: anxious-mildly oppositional, anxious-communication delayed, and exclusively anxious. A primary goal of treatment for selective mutism is to increase the audibility and frequency of speech, especially in public situations such as school.
Resource for Parents Resource for School Officials
Download SM Information Flyer Download Clinic SM Group Flyer
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Online Resources:
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https://www.selectivemutism.org
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https://childmind.org/guide/selective-mutism/
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https://selectivemutismcenter.org
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