School phobia with separation anxiety disorder: a comparative 20- to 29-year follow-up study of 35 school refusers.

The outcome of school phobia after age 30 years was studied with the hypothesis that school phobia cases would have persisting psychiatric problems, but would function better than nonschool refusal psychiatric patients. The subjects consisted of three groups. Thirty-five individuals treated for school phobia at ages 7 to 12 years were compared with age- and sex-matched nonschool refusal child psychiatric patients (n = 35) and a sample from the general population (n = 35). School phobia cases had had more psychiatric consultation, lived with their parents more often than the general population group, and had fewer children than both comparison groups. The nonschool refusal child psychiatric patients had poorer psychosocial adjustment and higher rates of criminal offenses. The implications of the findings are discussed.