| Abstract: | This article describes a graduated re-entry behavioral intervention implemented over an eight week period to treat a child with school refusal who would run away from school if taken there against his will. A multi-method evaluation procedure was used. Baseline data were collected over a five day period documenting school attendance and running away behaviors. In addition, a comprehensive psychological test battery was administered to the child, and clinical interviews conducted with the child's parents and teacher were used to develop the most appropriate treatment program. Based on these data, an initial graduated exposure to school combined with positive reinforcement for staying in school was chosen. As the intervention proceeded the greatest concern became the need to minimize the reinforcing impact of the child's mother on the child's school refusal. The intervention was eventually changed to a rapid exposure to school. By the third week of the intervention, the child was attending school all day for five consecutive days. He maintained this attendance record for the remainder of the treatment program. Follow-up data collected at bi-weekly intervals for a seven month time period until the end of the school year and follow-up for the first two months of the next school year showed stable and continued efficacy of the intervention, with no reoccurrence of refusal to attend or remain at school once he had arrived. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
