School phobia: understanding a complex behavioural response

School phobia affects about 5% of the school-age population. If left untreated, school phobia can have devastating long-term consequences in children challenged by this condition. Various treatment approaches have been used to explore this complex behavioural response, major among them being the psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, pharmacological and behavioural approaches. Different therapeutic interventions have developed as outgrowths of these approaches; however, the utility of most of these approaches is still controversial. This paper explores current research on school phobia in a North American context and these writers propose extending research on the application of positive behaviour supports (PBS) as a treatment modality for addressing the behavioural support needs of children affected by school phobia.