Researchers say depression and anxiety are the main causes of school phobia

By Staff Writer

An American Family Physician study says that one out of 20 children suffer from the anxiety disorder called school phobia.

Experts told the Kalamazoo Gazette that the condition affects kids who have a fear of school, which causes them to suffer from depression and anxiety. School phobia usually involves kids who are already susceptible to these conditions and do not have the skills to cope with stressful situations at school and at home.

Researchers found that symptoms like panic attacks, threats of self-harm or temper tantrums build until children refuse to go to school. One analyst said that the duration and intensity of efforts to avoid class are distinctly different between kids who suffer from school phobia and those who simply do not want to attend to school.

Students with school phobia are more likely to have parents with depression or anxiety disorders, one researcher said. Furthermore, the condition also affects children outside of school because sufferers do not want to separate from their parents. Boarding schools can give those who suffer from this condition the necessary tools to cope with stress while addressing the underlying issues that are causing their anxiety.

According to a 2006 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 8 and 16 percent of the population is diagnosed with anxiety. Meanwhile, between 9 and 21 percent of people in the U.S. are diagnosed with depression.