When participation breaks down: Parent and child accounts of the development of emotionally based school avoidance in autistic pupils

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Wheeler, M. (2026). When participation breaks down: Parent and child accounts of the development of emotionally based school avoidance in autistic pupils. British Journal of Special Education, Article 1467-8578.70123. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.70123

Publication date: 28 Aug 2026 Added to AutiHub: 26 Oct 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Marc Wheeler *

Abstract

Abstract Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) refers to persistent difficulties attending school associated with significant emotional distress. Autistic pupils appear to experience EBSA at elevated rates, yet little research has examined how these difficulties develop over time. This study explored the developmental trajectory of EBSA through qualitative analysis of specialist educational consultation transcripts relating to 30 autistic pupils aged 10–14 attending mainstream schools in the United Kingdom, all of whom had sustained attendance difficulties. Thematic analysis identified a recurring developmental pattern. Early stages were characterised by masked distress and sustained efforts to cope with demanding school environments. Over time, cumulative pressures including sensory overload, social challenges and anxiety contributed to escalating distress. Attendance difficulties were often initially interpreted behaviourally, delaying supportive responses. Findings highlight the importance of recognising masked distress and addressing environmental stressors early to prevent escalating school participation difficulties.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 27 Oct 2026 09:28.

Cited references
36
With a DOI
32
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
4
1 / 36 (2.8%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
2 / 36 (5.6%)
References with detected author names
34 / 36 (94.4%)
Without detected author names
2
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
4
References with raw author names still to review
1
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
110
From DOI or external metadata
110
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
1
42 / 110 (38.2%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 68 / 110 (61.8%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
4 / 110 (3.6%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 4 / 42 (9.5%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 4 / 99 (4.0%).
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