This case study aims to report on the psychological assessment and intervention for a 4-year-old preschooler with selective mutism. A comprehensive assessment that involves parents and teacher interview, classroom observation, Seguin Form Board Test (SFBT), Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales Third Edition (Vineland-3), Behaviour Assessment System…

The present study addressed the different contributors to social anxiety in children with Selective Mutism (SM), with and without co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (SM + ASD). Seventy-five parents completed an online composite questionnaire consisting of the symptoms of SM and ASD, anxiety and sensory measures. The results found the SM +…

This small-scale research project explored the perceived impact which selective mutism (SM) training, delivered by an educational psychologist (EP), had on school practitioners' understanding of the condition and their subsequent professional practice. Three teachers were interviewed and a thematic analysis elicited four superordinate themes.…

Schools are expected to hold an increasingly central role in co-ordinating support for children with mental health needs. However, the role that schools hold in supporting pupils with selective mutism (SM) is complex. Through a Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS), this review explores the multidimensional role which educational settings hold in…

This study employed art-based research with phenomenological qualitative inquiry to understand the perspectives of professionals who are working in the Israeli school system with children diagnosed with selective mutism. Selective mutism (SM) is a disorder originated in anxiety in which a child, between the ages of 3-5, does not speak at school…

Selective mutism is a disorder that can negatively impact a student's learning. It can be treated effectively if it is understood as an anxiety related condition and if it is diagnosed early. Intervention strategies can be complex and are therefore difficult for educational practitioners to implement. Simplifying intervention by addressing the…

Selective mutism (SM) is typically identified in early childhood and is characterised by a lack of speech in specific social situations, usually at school. This study interviewed 11 teachers and used qualitative methods to develop an explanatory framework to represent the lived experience of teaching pupils with SM. Interviews were analysed using…

Selective mutism (SM) and autism frequently co-occur together, exacerbating social communication deficits and associated anxiety. However, professionals have lacked a readiness to diagnose SM and autism together, making the need to understand parental experiences of caring for a child with SM and autism crucial. The current study utilised…

In order to better understand protective factors for internalizing problems, this longitudinal study examined positive emotions, emotion awareness and (non-)emotional communication skills in relation to somatic complaints and social anxiety in children with (N = 104) and without (N = 183) Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) using self-reported…

The current study is a two-year case study focusing on an upper-elementary girl who had been diagnosed with selective mutism in 1st grade. While multiple theoretical frameworks have been used to explain selective mutism, the current study borrowed the frameworks of critical sociocultural theory, a social semiotic theory of multimodality, and…

There is a lack of research available on how students with selective mutism transition from secondary school to a university setting and beyond. This suggests a need for further study as it relates to students on the verge of completing their undergraduate studies and preparing to move into a career. This researcher used a qualitative…

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder that impairs children's daily functioning, often during critical periods of early development. Given that schools are a common setting for mutism, it is vital that school-based practitioners are knowledgeable of recent advances in the SM treatment literature. Unfortunately, the literature base is…

Selective Mutism (SM) is an under-researched area of child development. While the incidence rate is low, the impact of this difficulty can be pervasive and can present as a significant risk for student mental health and wellbeing. The following article presents a case study focusing on parent-student intervention for a preadolescent male, using an…

Classroom teachers play a pivotal role in the early identification and treatment of students with selective mutism. In order to successfully identify students and to collaborate effectively with a professional team, classroom teachers must educate themselves on the intricacies of this anxiety-based disorder. Students with selective mutism remain…

Shortly after accepting my current position as a professor at the University of Connecticut in 1987, I was asked to meet a third-grade student who had not spoken a word in an educational setting for nearly 5 years. During preschool, kindergarten, and in the elementary grades, he was mute. However, in non-educational settings, although shy, he…