Recognising the symptoms of school phobia

School phobia (or anxious school refusal) includes all anxiety and emotional disorders. This phenomenon affects more and more young people and very often, this phobia is not sufficiently well considered by the family. How can you tell if your child is really suffering from school? What are the warning signs? Let’s take a closer look at the symptoms of school phobia.

The symptoms of school phobia occur at the time of departure but also when the young person anticipates this departure. It is a question of the representation that he/she has of school. The following manifestations can easily be observed in a child suffering from school phobia:

• Intense emotional distress with diarrhoea, vomiting, headaches, abdominal pain etc.
• Neuro-vegetative disturbances such as facial pallor, tremors, heavy sweating, increasingly rapid heart rate, difficult breathing, etc.
• Excessive agitation, which can go as far as violent physical behaviour against parents who try to force them to go to school. These reactions will also result in attempts to run away from home on the way to school (e.g. opening the car door on the way).

Find out if your child has a school phobia.

Characteristics of school phobia

• Age of onset

Fear of school can occur at different ages in a child’s life, but some seem to be much more critical and prone to its occurrence. First of all, between the ages of 5 and 7, with the start of primary school, there may be a greater risk of school refusal, particularly in connection with separation anxiety. The earlier anxiety responses that can be seen at the start of kindergarten should not be considered as arising from school phobias as they usually disappear quickly and are in fact more related to the onset of other childhood phobias such as fear of the dark. 

The majority of school phobias occur between the ages of 11 and 13 with the arrival of secondary school. Often perceived as a real rite of passage, it can induce great anxiety in the young schoolboy because of the very high social stakes associated with this period. It therefore seems essential to live up to a multitude of different expectations (family, school, social) and great suffering can result if there is a deep and lasting feeling of failure. 

Finally, some school phobias also occur around the age of 15, which is the age of entry into secondary school. This phenomenon is due, among other things, to the crucial deadlines that pupils face, such as the choice of courses of study and options, for example. The pupil’s potentially difficult history with the school world may have gradually built up an anxious relationship with school for various reasons, and the injunction to make choices presented as more than decisive for his or her future then appears unbearable.

• School phobia affects both boys and girls

On this point, the research is difficult to agree. On the one hand, they conclude that boys tend to be more affected, while other studies arrive at an equality in terms of prevalence. However, a closer look at the cases tends to show that girls are in fact more represented in the younger age groups, while boys are more numerous in adolescence.

• School refusal also affects pupils who do not have academic difficulties

While learning difficulties can play a significant role in the child’s complicated school experience, high-achieving pupils can also develop a panic fear of school. These students are intensely invested in academic success and experience every result that falls short of their high standards as a narcissistic wound that can lead to a refusal to attend school in a bid for self-preservation. Both success and failure at school can therefore help explain the phobia, but are not sufficient to prevent it and identify the pupils most at risk.

Beware!

Anxious school refusal should not be confused with possible behavioural problems of some students. Both can lead to absenteeism, but in the case of the phobia, not going to school causes great guilt in the child, who experiences the situation badly. It is a real avoidance strategy to protect oneself from the extreme anxiety associated with the school setting. In the case of conduct problems, there is usually some satisfaction derived from not going to school. However, if absenteeism is seen primarily as a consequence of school phobia, it can also become a cause. A child who is (too) used to not going to school will tend to be anxious about returning.

Consequences of school phobia

Absenteeism that is not necessarily detected by parents. The young person adopts avoidance strategies to avoid going to class. They decide to spend the day in the infirmary or to go home if possible. Sometimes, when the emotional and physical manifestations of his school phobia present themselves to him, he stays at home for good… If these behaviours are not quickly corrected, they can increase. The young person will disinvest in extracurricular activities: he or she will no longer be able to take part in sports, will not be able to see friends and will become increasingly isolated…

These consequences are serious for the child and adolescent. A school phobia should not be underestimated as absenteeism can last for several months and be the cause of school failure. By cutting off links with the outside world, they will reduce their range of experience, which they need to do in order to learn. They lose self-esteem by not allowing their friends to reassure them. This anxiety disorder could be accompanied by a depressive disorder. These young people function very well on a cognitive and intellectual level. Parents often find themselves at a loss because they no longer know what strategies to use to resolve these difficulties. They try to use rewards and punishments that will only maintain the problem behaviour. Generally, it is the parents who gradually give in. Their child’s anxiety is so strong that they can no longer cope with it…