Work and School Phobias: A Family Approach to Treatment

The authors describe the syndrome of work phobia, which is not a classical phobia but separation anxiety associated with leaving home to go to work. Differentiated from work inhibition and success neurosis, work phobia is considered to be the adult form of school phobia. It occurs most often in former school phobics and, like school phobia, responds to helping the wife or mother to firmly allow the man to separate. The authors feel that such crisis family therapy is more successful than long-term individual therapy in the treatment of this syndrome.