School phobia is an irrational fear or anxiety about attending school. Definite distinctions can be made between the school phobic and the truant, both of whom miss school on a regular basis. It appears that the incidence of school phobia is evenly distributed between the sexes and among age levels from 5 through 15 years, and is not significantly related to birth order, intelligence, or socioeconomic factors. Somatic complaints are common in the school phobic. Several theorists have attempted to classify types of school phobia, and different explanations for school phobia and suggestions for treatment have been offered by theorists in the schools of psychotherapy, psychodynamics, and learning theory. The hypothesis of separation anxiety has been frequently proposed. A multifaceted approach to evaluating school phobia should include assessments of the child, family, and school environments. Five general procedures apply to all the diagnostic categories and treatments: (1) the child should return to school as soon as possible; (2) the child must be helped to obtain relief at school as soon as possible; (3) significant attachment figures and other pertinent people should be involved in the intervention; (4) persistence and consistency should be encouraged in the interventions; and (5) if school refusal is secondary to broader coping problems, further evaluation/consultation should be considered. (NRB)