School refusal: The heterogeneity of a concept.

Abstract

Finer discrimination among school refusers may help clear the confusion surrounding the school refusal syndrome. This paper reviews two aspects of the literature-that dealing with etiological theories and that which explicitly addresses the heterogeneity of the school refusal concept. Variables that consistently emerge as potential discriminators among school refusers are identified, and an attempt is made to determine their interrelationships.