Exploring Effective Interventions for Selective Mutism

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The research articles collected sought to find information on Selective Mutism and used literature written on Selective Mutism for their studies. Bergman, R.L., Gonzalez, A., Piacentini, J. (2013) performed a controlled pilot study on Integrated Behavior Therapy for Selective Mutism. Results were favorable as rated by parents and teachers. However, parents reported significant improvements, but teachers did not. Manassis, K., Tannock, R., Garland, E. J., Minde, K., McInnes, A., & Clark, S. (2007) replicated a previous study using a small sample. Manassis, et al. expanded the participant's sample number. The goal of the study was to determine if the intervention of oral language, clinical social impairment, and working memory would be helpful …show more content…

In addition, various studies that were the same generated different results. Some researchers argued that SM children remain silent to reduce anxiety (Scott and Beidel, 2011), While some claimed, SM children are oppositional and defiant. After researching this phenomenon through books, articles and studies, I believe that strategies will be useless until all teachers are trained to recognize SM children. Otherwise, a large enough sample of likely SM children will never be produced. The first step that Martinez, et al. took regarding teacher surveys will be the best route to determine what teachers need training in as it relates to SM. At this point, information in literature is so conflicting that all data collecting need to start from ground zero. As an example, while the literature reviewed on SM helped reveal the etiology of selective mutism, limited information and gaps in knowledge still exist and show a need for additional study to understand Selective Mutism (Viana, Beidel, & Rabian, 2009; Harwood, & Bork, 2011). Limitations of studies that appeared in the literature reviewed may be the cause of some of the inconsistencies in studies. As an example, the majority of studies found on SM came from literature and many of the treatments referred to in the literature expressed results from case studies, narrative reviews, or use of one particular case (Viana, Beidel, & Rabian, 2009). Moreover, while reviewing the literature, it was noted that some inconsistencies appear regarding various research, treatments, practices, and investigation of SM. According to Vianna, Beidel & Rabian (2009) these discrepancies were caused by researchers using the same structured diagnostic procedures, and this made the outcomes difficult to interpret since various

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