School Absence and Mental Health in a Help-Seeking Sample From Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Bas T. H, de Veen, Martin Knollmann, Martine van Dongen-Boomsma, Pierre C. M, Ingo Spitczok von Brisinski, Johannes Hebebrand, Ron H. J, Wouter G. Staal, Volker Reissner, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, The Netherlands, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Netherlands, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital Essen, Depression Expertise Centre for Youth, GGZ Oost Brabant, The Netherlands, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, The Netherlands, Leiden Institution for Brain and Cognition, The Netherlands

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Published online on November 24, 2025

Abstract

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Volume 31, Issue 2, Page 721-743, April 2026.
ObjectiveProblematic school absence (PSA) can severely impact children’s mental health. Research on the prevalence of PSA in child and adolescent psychiatry is still limited. This study explores the prevalence and severity of PSA in Dutch and German young ...