When to intervene in selective mutism: The multimodal treatment of a case of persistent selective mutism

An identification and treatment model differentiating Transient from Persistent Selective Mutism is proposed. The model incorporates treatment recommendations for Persistent Selective Mutism and suggests that interventions are not usually warranted for Transient Selective Mutism. The case study of a 6-year-old female manifesting Persistent Selective Mutism is presented. A multimodal treatment approach combining behavioral techniques with play therapy and family involvement was applied to improve her verbal interactions. Pre- and posttreatment evaluations were conducted. During pretreatment evaluations the child was manifesting Persistent Selective Mutism, immaturity, and withdrawal behaviors. At posttreatment evaluations she was talking in a manner consistent with her peers without problematic behaviors displayed. Results of a 6-month follow-up completed after the child had entered first grade showed that she was continuing to speak in a manner consistent with her peers without behavioral concerns.     

An exploration of how selective mutism training informs teachers' understanding and practice

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. Participants recognised that they had little previous knowledge of SM and many misconceptions; they also identified key ways in which their understanding of SM, and their practice as school professionals, had developed. In addition, staff highlighted central challenges which nevertheless remained, one of which involved working with parents. This research highlights the limited knowledge which teachers have of SM, whilst demonstrating how staff training and school development might contribute to improved outcomes for children with the condition. Implications for teacher training programmes and future research are considered.     

The student–teacher relationship quality in children with selective mutism

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder that compromises children's daily life during critical periods of early development. Because school is a prime context for the manifestation of the disorder, the aim of this study was to investigate the quality of the student–teacher relationship and its effects on behavior and work, and on social and relational skills. The sample consisted of 75 children—15 were affected by SM, with 60 in the control group—and 15 teachers. The results showed greater difficulty on the teacher's part to establish a relationship based on affective closeness with a child affected by SM, compared to that with unaffected children. Nevertheless, an encouraging picture emerges of the inclusion and integration of the child with SM among peers and therefore in the class group.     

Including children with selective mutism in mainstream schools and kindergartens: problems and possibilities

There is little research on inclusion of children with selective mutism in school/kindergarten. Moreover, few studies have tried to understand selectively mute children’s interactions in the natural surroundings of their home and school/kindergarten. Five children meeting the DSM‐IV criteria for selective mutism were video‐observed in social interactions in kindergarten/school and at home. Their parents and the staff in kindergarten/school took part in semi‐structured interviews. Themes arising from the data were: (1) assessment by the school/kindergarten; (2) interactions in the classroom/kindergarten: inadvertent maintenance of mute behaviour; (3) interactions in the classroom/kindergarten: overcoming selective mutism; (4) school/kindergarten contacts with parents; and (5) tensions in cooperation between home and kindergarten/school. Kindergartens/schools that succeeded in including children with selective mutism found that the child started to speak after a year with encouragement and gentle support from adults and other children. In those cases where the children maintained their selectively mute behaviour, teachers and other children either accepted their refusal to speak and their exclusion of themselves, or selectively reinforced the maladaptive behaviour.     

The role that schools hold in supporting young people with selective mutism: a systematic literature review

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 supporting children with SM. Key databases were searched (PsycInfo, British Education Index, Education Resources Information Center, British Library EThOS and Google Scholar) and a conceptual map, informed by experienced practitioners, guided additional purposive searching with a focus on conceptual saturation. A total of twenty-four papers were identified following a further process of appraisal. Reciprocal Translational Analysis (RTA) found that schools hold a tripartite role in supporting children with SM: this incorporated developing a shared understanding of the disorder, engaging in effective (and often multi-professional) planning, and offering direct support through adapting provision and facilitating individual intervention. Through realising this role, schools and educational settings might transform the support currently available for children and young people with SM. Implications for practice, policy and future research also emerged. This included a clear need for enhanced teacher understanding of SM, arguably at the level of initial teacher training (ITT).     

Behavioral treatment of a selective mute Mexican-American boy

This case study describes a selective mute Mexican-American boy who, at initial referral, had never spoken to peers or teachers while in school. The treatment procedure employed shaping and reinforcement of speech in therapy sessions. These sessions involved the psychologist alone, the classroom teacher and psychologist, the boy's best friend and the psychologist, a small assertiveness skills group, and a small group for reading instruction. Results indicated that the subject first whispered one word and then gradually expanded his vocalizations from one-word answers to complete sentences over a 3-year period. By the end of the treatment, he answered questions in a normal tone of voice but rarely asked questions. Through the use of shaping, positive reinforcement, and stimulus fading, the treatment was successful in helping the boy to speak in several settings. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The behavioral treatment of school phobia: A critical review

This paper is a critical review of the studies that have applied behavioral techniques in the treatment of school phobia. After a brief theoretical discussion, this work proceeds to note the conspicuous absence of any studies designed to assess either the relative efficacy of behavior therapy in comparison to other types of therapy or the different effects of various behavioral treatments. An in-depth analysis of reported case studies dichotomized into those using classical conditioning elements and those using operant learning ones reveals that both approaches indicate success. However, some blurring between treatment modalities, both theoretically and empirically, is noted, thus bringing into question the precision of estimating the efficacy of treatments of different approaches. Suggestions for future research focus on both large scale studies and the need to apply distinct treatments firmly allied to theoretical models.     

Spatial selective attention and asynchrony of cognitive systems in adult dyslexic readers: an ERPs and behavioral study

The aim of this study was to gain additional knowledge about the asynchrony phenomenon in developmental dyslexia, especially when spatial selective attention is manipulated. Adults with developmental dyslexia and non-impaired readers underwent two experimental tasks, one including alphabetic stimuli (pre-lexical consonant–vowel syllables) and the other containing non-alphabetic stimuli (pictures and sounds of animals). Participants were instructed to attend to the right or left hemifields and to respond to all stimuli on that hemifield. Behavioral parameters and event-related potentials were recorded. The main finding was that the dyslexic readers demonstrated asynchrony between the auditory and visual modalities when alphabetic stimuli were presented on the right hemifield. These results suggest that intact reading is linked to a synchronized auditory and visual speed of processing even when spatial selective attention is manipulated. The findings of the current study are discussed in terms of asynchrony between modalities as a neurocognitive marker in developmental dyslexia.     

Analysis and treatment of child abuse: A set of behavioral propositions

Five propositions are presented to suggest the potential of a behavioral approach to the understanding and treatment of child abuse. Each proposition deals with an important source of child abuse: (a) ineffective child management techniques; (b) deliberately punitive child rearing practices; (c) impulsive acts by the parent triggered by the child; (d) high levels of stress; and (e) negative attitude toward the child. For each proposition we discuss supportive findings from both child abuse and general psychological research as well as the additional information that would be needed in order to obtain a better functional analysis of clinical cases. Based on this discussion, behavioral therapy strategies are proposed with special attention being given to the various measures needed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment programs.     

Multimethod prediction of child abuse risk in an at-risk sample of male intimate partner violence offenders

The vast majority of research on child abuse potential has concentrated on women demonstrating varying levels of risk of perpetrating physical child abuse. In contrast, the current study considered factors predictive of physical child abuse potential in a group of 70 male intimate partner violence offenders, a group that would represent a likely high risk group. Elements of Social Information Processing theory were evaluated, including pre-existing schemas of empathy, anger, and attitudes approving of parent-child aggression considered as potential moderators of negative attributions of child behavior. To lend methodological rigor, the study also utilized multiple measures and multiple methods, including analog tasks, to predict child abuse risk. Contrary to expectations, findings did not support the role of anger independently predicting child abuse risk in this sample of men. However, preexisting beliefs approving of parent-child aggression, lower empathy, and more negative child behavior attributions independently predicted abuse potential; in addition, greater anger, poorer empathy, and more favorable attitudes toward parent-child aggression also exacerbated men’s negative child attributions to further elevate their child abuse risk. Future work is encouraged to consider how factors commonly considered in women parallel or diverge from those observed to elevate child abuse risk in men of varying levels of risk.     

Goal‐Directed Correlates and Neurobiological Underpinnings of Adolescent Identity: A Multimethod Multisample Longitudinal Approach

This multimethod multisample longitudinal study examined how neurological substrates associated with goal directedness and information seeking are related to adolescents’ identity. Self‐reported data on goal‐directedness were collected across three biannual waves in Study 1. Identity was measured one wave later. Study 1 design and measurements were repeated in Study 2 and extended with structural brain data (nucleus accumbens [NAcc] and prefrontal cortex gray matter volume [PFC]), collected across three biannual waves. Study 1 included 497 adolescents (M_{age T1} = 13.03 years) and Study 2 included 131 adolescents (M_{age T1} = 14.69 years). Using latent growth curve models, goal directedness, NAcc, and PFC volume predicted a stronger identity one wave later. These findings provide crucial new insights in the underlying neurobiological architecture of identity.     

In-situ investigation of melting characteristics of waste selective catalytic reduction catalysts during harmless melting treatment

Selective catalytic reduction(SCR) catalyst waste is a hazardous solid waste that seriously threatens the environment and public health.In this study,a thermal melting technology is proposed for the treatment of waste SCR catalysts.The melting characteristics and mineral phase transformation of waste SCR catalysts blended with three different groups of additives were explored by heating stage microscopy,thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry(TG/DSC) analysis,thermodynamic simulation,and X-ray diffraction(XRD) analysis;heavy metal leaching toxicity was tested by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry(I CP-AES) analysis.The results indicated that the melting point of waste SCR catalysts can be effectively reduced with proper additives.The additive formula of 39.00% Fe_2 O_3(in weight),6.50% CaO,3.30% SiO_2,and 1.20% Al_2 O_3 achieves the optimal fluxing behavior,significantly decreasing the initial melting temperature from 1223℃ to1169℃.Furthermore,the whole heating process of waste SCR catalysts can be divided into three stages:the solid reaction stage,the sintering stage,and the primary melting stage.The leaching concentrations of V,As,Pb,and Se are significantly reduced,from 10.64,1.054,0.195,and 0.347 mg/L to 0.178,0.025,0.048,and 0.003 mg/L,respectively,much lower than the standard limits after melting treatment,showing the strong immobilization capacity of optimal additives for heavy metals in waste SCR catalysts.The results demonstrate the feasibility of harmless melting treatments for waste SCR catalysts with relatively low energy consumption,providing theoretical support for a novel method of disposing of hazardous waste SCR catalysts.     

A Multimethod Study of Problem Behavior among Thai and American Children in School: Teacher Reports versus Direct Observations

Previous literature describes Thai children as unusually polite, deferent, and behaviorally restrained. Yet, in a recent study employing teacher reports, Thai children were reported to show many more behavior problems than American children. Such a finding may reflect culture-linked differences in the perspective of Thai versus American teachers. To explore this possibility, we used trained observers to conduct direct observations of Thai and American children's school behavior, and we obtained teacher reports on the same children. Observational results were precisely the opposite of previous and present teacher-report findings: Observers reported twice as much problem behavior and off-task behavior in American children as in their Thai age-mates. This pattern may reflect Thai-U.S. differences in teachers' style, societal values and practices, even child temperament. The findings support the value of direct behavior observation in cross-national research on child problems.