EBSA (Emotionally-based school attendance) refers to reduced attendance or non-attendance at school where the avoidance is driven by emotional distress. EBSA does not constitute a psychiatric diagnosis in its own right but often co-occurs with diagnoses of anxiety and/or mood disorders. EBSA commonly emerges during primary school and educational transitions (e.g. when starting secondary school) represent particularly high-risk periods. EBSA results in missed schooling for an estimated 1%–5% of the total school population; an even larger population of children experience distress and aversion to school but still manage to attend.