School refusal is characterized by recurring absences, missed classes, and late arrivals or early departures from school. Youth refuse school for a wide range of reasons, including mood and anxiety problems, medical conditions, learning disorders, or disruptive behavior disorder. Regardless of cause, chronic school absenteeism is associated with a number of adverse outcomes, including increased family conflict, social stress, limited academic achievement, increased school dropout rates, and even legal consequences. Though prevalence of school refusal is difficult to determine due to inconsistent methods of quantifying absences, it is estimated that approximately 2-5% of youth avoid school because of anxiety or depression.
