In early childhood, the child’s psyche is incredibly fragile, so everything new or certain stressful situations can lead to alarming consequences in the future. One of the problems in the modern world is anxiety or fear of school. However, even long-term stressful events can be handled quite well.
School phobia is an irrational unwillingness to go to school. This disorder was discovered in 1941. Its symptoms are quite severe and often physical: diarrhea, headaches, nausea and vomiting, tremor and uncontrollable trembling, and abdominal pain. Fear is also accompanied by psychological symptoms such as nightmares and tantrums. Children suffering from such a phobia are not truants against the learning process; they do not want to leave home.
The baby’s psyche does not tolerate separation from home or parents, and his grief can be even stronger if parents begin to stand on their own. Most often, such stories occur at the age of 6-12 years: before the first grade or during the transition to secondary school. Some children have their reasons for being afraid. If this is a gifted child, he may be bullied by classmates. If a child does not study well, this is also a reason for suffering.
However, most often, the school has nothing to do with it. The reason is not the lack of abilities, the attacks of other guys, and not the “backwardness” of teachers who do not want to adapt to an unusual student. Moreover, oddly enough, school phobia overtakes quite successful, capable students. Studies have shown a link between anxiety disorder in children and school refusals (Elliott, 2019, Finning, 2019, Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 2022). Children who experience toxic stress or live in highly stressful situations of abuse for extended periods may suffer long-term consequences (Beyer, 2020). However, the effects of stress can be minimized if caring adults support the child.
Summing up all the above, we can say that school phobia is a significant problem. Fear of school is a widespread phenomenon in the modern world, so it is essential to track the symptoms as quickly as possible and eradicate the cause of stress. Although stress substantially impacts later life, with proper care and treatment from adults, all these consequences can be minimized.
References
Elliott, J. G., & Place, M. (2019). Practitioner review: school refusal: developments in conceptualisation and treatment since 2000. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(1), 4-15. Web.
Finning, K., Ukoumunne, O. C., Ford, T., Danielson‐Waters, E., Shaw, L., Romero De Jager, I.,… & Moore, D. A. (2019). The association between anxiety and poor attendance at school–a systematic review. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 24(3), 205-216. Web.
Anxiety & Depression Association of America. School Refusal. Web.