School refusal in pervasive developmental disorders.

Of 135 autistic and/or mentally retarded youngsters, 30 with pervasive developmental disorders and 2 with nonautistic mental retardation showed school refusal according to its modified definition. School refusal was significantly more frequent in other PDDs than in nonautistic mental retardation. The intellectual level was significantly higher in PDD children with school refusal than those without it. A certain level of mental development and obsessive tendency appear necessary for PDD children to develop school refusal. In order to treat school refusal in PDD, it is important to make school a pleasant place to go and to encourage the child to attend.