School Refusal Behavior: Role of Personality Styles, Social Functioning, and Psychiatric Symptoms in a Sample of Adolescent Help-Seekers.

Objective: School refusal (SR) in adolescence represents an important risk factor associated with adverse consequences. Although many clinical features of adolescents presenting with SR have been studied, the relationship between SR and personality styles-specifically in the help-seeking population-remains unclear. The present study aimed at investigating differences in personality style, adaptive functioning, and symptomology between Italian help-seeking adolescents who refused (SRa) and did not refuse (non-SRa) to attend school, to provide preliminary evidence of personality patterns in adolescent help-seekers presenting with SR.

Efficacy of the Cooperative Assessment Method (COOPAS) to Improve the Psychiatric Care of Help-Seeking Adolescents.

Objective: Effective treatment of adolescents with psychopathological disorders is essential to reduce later morbidity and disability.To evaluate the clinical value of a new adolescent Cooperative Assessment scheme (COOPAS) as indicated by establishing therapeutic alliance, improving symptoms, and particularly by reducing dropouts.

Method: Consecutive help-seeking adolescents (N=136) were recruited, evaluated with an 8-week COOPAS protocol and followed for 6 months to document dropouts during treatment.