Evaluation of the children and adolescents refusing to attend school

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the etiology of children and adolescents refusing to attend school and the psychopathologies of patients referred to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic.

Patients and Methods: Information of patients who had been referred to the Tekirdag State Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic between 15.01.2011 and 15.01.2012 were reviewed retrospectively. The study was focused on socio-demographic characteristics and psychopathologies of the children and adolescents determined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSMIV) diagnostic criteria.

Results: The mean age of the children (n:22) was 11.0 +/- 4.5 (5.4 - 17.8). There was no statistically significant difference between the genders (45.5 % of girls, 54.5 % of boys) (p> 0.05). The majority of girls (60 %) were in primary school and the boys (58.3 %) were in high school. Sixty-three point seven percent of the patients had anxiety disorder (n= 14), 36.3 % had disruptive behaviour disorder (n= 8), 13.6 % had mood disorder (n= 3), 9 % had adjustment disorder (n= 2).

Conclusion: Refusing to attend school significantly affects the social and academic aspects of the child's life. Managing of this problem is important for the family and the school staff. The factors underlying this behavior should be investigated in detail and existing psychopathology should be treated.