Identifying Functional Profiles of School Refusal and Perfectionism in Adolescents

Abstract

Due to the complex construct of school refusal and the need for awareness of its impact on youth, Kearney and Silverman (1990) proposed four functional reasons for the persistence of school refusal behaviour. Various studies have explored different profiles of school refusal based on Kearney and Silverman's (1990) framework, yet no prior research has examined the relationship between these profiles and perfectionism. Perfectionism, a multifaceted personality trait, is described by the pursuit of flawlessness and setting excessively high standards (Self-Oriented Perfectionism–Striving, SOP–S), along with harsh self-criticism (Self-Oriented Perfectionism–Critical, SOP–C), and perceived external pressures and criticism (Socially Prescribed Perfectionism, SPP). While perfectionism can sometimes be beneficial, it often poses risks when expectations exceed a student's capabilities, severely affecting both academic success and psychological well-being. The aims of this study are: (a) to detect school refusal profiles following Kearney and Silverman's (1990) functional model, and (b) to analyse differences in perfectionism across these profiles. The study involved 1276 Spanish students (55.3% boys), aged 13–16 (M = 14.49, SD = 1.24). Participants fulfilled the School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R) and the Child/Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS). Through Latent Profile Analysis, four school refusal profiles were identified: High Mixed School Refusal, Mixed School Refusal, School Refusal by Negative Reinforcement, and Non School Refusal. The study found that mixed profiles, which had high or very high scores in both negative (F1, F2) and positive reinforcement (F3), also had the highest mean scores in perfectionistic dimensions. The results emphasise the need to address maladaptive perfectionism to mitigate school attendance problems in adolescents. Practically, the study provides educators with evidence-based insights to inform early interventions targeting maladaptive perfectionism as a mechanism for preventing school refusal.