The Use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for School Refusal Behaviour in Educational Psychology Practice

Understanding around school refusal behaviour has significantly changed over time, from beliefs that it stemmed from a phobia, to more recent views that the behaviour serves a function for the child or young person. These changes run in parallel to a dominant medicalised and within-child view of school refusal, which has subsequently impacted on the interventions used by professionals. This article looks at the evidence base around the most commonly used intervention, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) (Maynard et al., 2018), to determine whether its extensive use is validated. The use of this intervention in educational psychology practice is explored, with consideration for the merits of finding a “gold standard” intervention in comparison to adopting a more individualised approach. To support a more individualised and systemic approach, Nuttall and Woods’ (2013) “Ecological Model of Successful Reintegration” is explored in relation to educational psychology practice.