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Table 3 Emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes

From: School refusal behavior in children and adolescents: a five-year narrative review of clinical significance and psychopathological profiles

Emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes in children/adolescents that should alert parents and clinicians [55]

-Inability to cope with daily activities as usual.

-Changes in sleep patterns and/or eating habits;

-Excessive complaints about physical discomfort;

-Disregard for authority, skipping school, theft, or damaging others’ property;

-Intense fear of gaining weight;

-Long-lasting negative moods, often accompanied by poor appetite and thoughts of death;

-Substance and/or alcohol abuse;

-Frequent fits of rage;

-Changes in academic performance, with low grades despite their efforts;

-Loss of interest in activities and the company of friends who usually bring joy;

-Significant increase in time spent alone;

-Excessive worry or anxiety;

-Hyperactivity;

-Persistent nightmares or night terrors;

-Persistent disobedience or aggressive behavior;

-Frequent outbursts of anger;

-Hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there (hallucinations).