Skip to main content
Log in

Best Practices in Assessment and Intervention for Childhood Selective Mutism

  • Feature
  • Published:
Journal of Health Service Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder most likely to occur during pivotal periods of early development. Effective assessment and early intervention for selective mutism are crucial to a child’s functioning and well-being, in both the short and long term. This article reviews best-practice recommendations regarding assessment and intervention for supporting children with selective mutism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C: Author.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bergman, R. L. (2012). Treatment for children with selective mutism. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bergman, R. L., Piacentini, J., & McCracken, J. T. (2002). Prevalence and description of selective mutism in a school-based sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 41, 938–946. doi:10.1097/00004583-200208000-00012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohan, S. L., Chavira, D. A., Shipon-Blum, E., Hitchcock, C., Roesch, S. C., & Stein, M. B. (2008). Refining the classification of children with selective mutism: A latent profile analysis. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37, 370–384. doi:10.1080/15374410802359759

    Google Scholar 

  • Conners, C. K. (2009). Conners Early Childhood manual. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elizur, Y., & Perednik, M. (2003). Prevalence and description of selective mutism in immigrant and native families: A controlled study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 1451–1459. doi:10.1097/00004583-200312000-00012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gensthaler, A., Maichrowitz, V., Kaess, M., Ligges, M., Freitag, C. M., & Schwenck, C. (2016). Selective mutism: The fraternal twin of childhood social phobia. Psychopathology, 9, 95–107. doi:10.1159/000444882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hua, A., & Major, N. (2016). Selective mutism. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 28, 114–120. doi:10.1097/MOP.0000000000000300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kehle, T. J., & Bray, M. A. (2009). Self-modeling. In A. Akin-Little, S. Little, M. A. Bray, & T. J. Kehle (Eds.), Behavioral intervention in schools: Evidence-based positive strategies (pp. 231–244). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kotrba, A. (2015). Selective mutism: An assessment and intervention guide for therapists, educators, and parents. Eau Claire, WI: PESI Publishing & Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J. S. (2013). Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children-2nd edition: Technical manual. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muris, P., Hendriks, E., & Bot, S. (2016). Children of few words: Relations among selective mutism, behavioral inhibition, and (social) anxiety symptoms in 3- to 6-year-olds. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 47, 94–101. doi:10.1007/s10578-015-0547-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oerbeck, B., Johansen, J., Lundahl, K., & Kristensen, H. (2011). Selective mutism: A home- and kindergarten-based intervention for children 3–5 years: A pilot study. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17, 370–383. doi:10.1177/1359104511415174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Remschmidt, H., Poller, M., Herpetz-Dahlmann, B., Hennighausen, K., & Gutenbrunner, C. (2001). A follow-up study of 45 patients with selective mutism. European Archives of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 251, 284–296. doi:10.1007/PL00007547

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, C. R., & Kamphaus, R. W. (2015). Behavioral Assessment System for Children,™ Third Edition: Manual. New York, NY: Pearson Clinical Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanetti, L. M. H., & Luiselli, J. K. (2009). Evidence-based practices for selective mutism: Implementation by a school team. School Psychology Forum, 3, 27–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selective Mutism Anxiety Research and Treatment Center© & Shipon-Blum, E. (2012). Selective Mutism - Stages of Social Communication Comfort Scale©. Retrieved from https://selectivemutismcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Stages.SM_.pdf

  • Shriver, M. D., Segool, N., & Gortmaker, V. (2011). Behavior observations for linking assessment to treatment for selective mutism. Education and Treatment of Children, 34, 389–411. doi:10.1353/etc.2011.0023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinhausen, H.-C., Wachter, M., Laimbock, K., & Metzke, C. W. (2006). A long-term outcome study of selective mutism in childhood. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47, 751–756. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01560.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toppelberg, C. O., Tabors, P., Coggins, A., Lum, K., & Burger, C. (2005). Differential diagnosis of selective mutism in bilingual children. Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 44, 592–595. doi:10.1097/01.chi.0000157549.87078.f8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viana, A. G., Beidel, D. C., & Rabian, B. (2009). Selective mutism: A review and integration of the last 15 years. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 57–67. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2008.09.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zakszeski, B. N., & DuPaul, G. J. (2017). Reinforce, shape, expose, and fade: A review of treatments for selective mutism (2005-2015). School Mental Health, 9, 1–15. doi:10.1007/s12310-016-9198-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Brittany has worked in clinical as well as public, private, and alternative education settings, most recently at Centennial School of Lehigh University. She is currently completing her APA-accredited doctoral internship at the Devereux Center for Effective Schools.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zakszeski, B. Best Practices in Assessment and Intervention for Childhood Selective Mutism. J Health Serv Psychol 44, 109–116 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03544670

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03544670

Navigation