THE LEGEND AND MYTH OF SCHOOL PHOBIA

Many phrases are well-known for describing behavior problems in childr en and adolescents, but perhaps the one most overutilized and least un derstood is ''school phobia.'' Although variously defined, school phob ia has referred generally to children and adolescents avoidant of scho ol due to overwhelming fearfulness. Given the construct's debatable di scriminant validity, however, a critique of the clinical utility of '' school phobia'' seems appropriate. This paper outlines the historical development of school phobia, including the transition from viewing th e problem as a syndrome to a symptom of general school refusal behavio r. Then, a review of recent empirical findings is conducted to support the contention that school phobia violates two contemporary criteria for a phobia, i.e., excessiveness and specificity. Finally, given the questionable validity of the construct, recommendations are made regar ding future classification, assessment, and treatment methods for youn gsters with school refusal behavior.