Selective Mutism: Causes, Treatment and Therapy Methods with Case Examples
Chapter from the book: Arslan, İ. & Bozgeyik, Y. (eds.) 2024. Academic Research and Evaluations in The Field of Social Sciences.

Özge Gamsız Tunç
Ministry of Justice

Synopsis

Selective Mutism (SM) is a psychological disorder associated with limitations in both verbal and non-verbal communication, and it is considered rare. It is frequently observed that individuals diagnosed with SM are able to speak in environments where they have close relationships, such as with parents and siblings, yet are unable to speak in school or public settings. There is a spectrum within SM that ranges from mild to severe levels. Some cases of SM may avoid verbal communication while still engaging in non-verbal communication. This disorder, which is most commonly observed in girls, can be confused with symptoms of social phobia. When the etiology of SM is examined, it is challenging to pinpoint a definitive cause for its development. Various factors, including neglect, childhood traumas, a family history of anxiety disorders, temperamental characteristics such as shyness, a lack of social experiences, excessive attachment to the mother, and increased anxiety due to the expectation to speak, can all contribute to the pathogeny of SM. In terms of treatment for SM, it has been seen that pharmacological interventions and behavioral therapies have been found to yield effective results. Additionally, individual therapies including the collaboration of the family-teacher and the clinician, along with play therapies from different schools and speech-language therapy alongside multidisciplinary treatments are recommended. The literature predominantly features case studies. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct intervention research for various play therapy approaches and to increase effectiveness studies with different case studies in this context.

How to cite this book

Gamsız Tunç, Ö. (2024). Selective Mutism: Causes, Treatment and Therapy Methods with Case Examples. In: Arslan, İ. & Bozgeyik, Y. (eds.), Academic Research and Evaluations in The Field of Social Sciences. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub427.c1899

License

Published

March 27, 2024

DOI