Background: Selective mutism (SM) is a rare, heterogenous disorder classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5 (APA. 2014). Due to a lack of research and the complexity of the disorder, much...Show moreBackground: Selective mutism (SM) is a rare, heterogenous disorder classified as an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5 (APA. 2014). Due to a lack of research and the complexity of the disorder, much remains unclear about the etiology and contributing risk factors of SM. More knowledge about the risk factors can contribute to early identification of children that are prone to developing SM. This may lead to better treatment outcomes, as earlier treatment is preferred. Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional case-control study investigates if there is a relationship between facial emotion recognition and social anxiety in 4- and 5-year-olds that are exceptionally quiet in social situations. Additionally, this study tried to identify whether parental behavior has a moderating effect. This was done by performing independents samples t-tests and multiple regression analyses. 16 silent children (M = 5.1 years, SD = 0.64) and 17 healthy controls from the same group (M = 4.8 years, SD = 0.52) participated in this study. The children performed an affect recognition subtest and parents filled in online questionnaire about their child. Results: Results showed that the quiet children had higher levels of social anxiety compared to the controls, with a medium, negative effect (r = -.4). Additionally, parents of quiet children were found to show less positive parenting compared to the controls. No group differences were found in facial emotion recognition. Regression analysis showed a negative, but non-significant, relation between emotion recognition and social anxiety, in both the quiet children and the control group. Positive parenting was negatively correlated with social anxiety but did not show a moderating effect on the relation between social anxiety and emotion recognition. Discussion: According to this study, emotion recognition cannot be seen as a risk factor for social anxiety. Positive parenting is associated with lower social anxiety in the child. However, the direction of this relation remains unclear. Replication of this study with a clinical population is advised, as well as further research on the causal relation between social anxiety and parenting behavior.Show less
In the present study the question is addressed whether child’s social language use is associated with child’s temperament and social anxiety of parents of children with selective mutism, in...Show moreIn the present study the question is addressed whether child’s social language use is associated with child’s temperament and social anxiety of parents of children with selective mutism, in comparison with a control group (CG). 74 Participants are included. The SM-group (N=30) contains 8 boys and 22 girls and the CG (N=44) exists of 21 boys and 23 girls aged 4 to 8 years. The parents completed questionnaires about their children’s development, focusing on the frequency of non-speaking behavior (Selective Mutism Questionnaire), communication skills (Children’s Communication Checklist) and temperament (Children’s Behavior Questionnaire). They also completed a self-report about their own experiences of social anxiety (Social Phobia Anxiety Inventory). Compared to the CG, the SM-group has significantly more problems with social language use (t(71)= 2.95; p= .004), doesn’t have a more difficult temperament (t(70)= 1.93; p=.057), mothers have significantly more social anxiety (t(63)= 2.70; p= .009), fathers don’t (t(53)= 0.04; p= .97). There is a significant positive moderate association between childrens social language use and mothers’ social anxiety (r(65)= .40, p < .001), also between the childrens social language use and their temperament (r(71)= .32, p= .006). There is no association between social language use and fathers’ social anxiety (r(55)= .01, p= .972). Mothers' social anxiety predicts 17% of the variance in child’s social language use (R2= .17, F(1,62)= 12.31, p< .001). A higher degree of mothers’ social anxiety predicts more problems in children's social language use. Mothers’ social anxiety and childrens temperament together are also significant and predict 21% of the variance in child’s social language use (R2= .21, F(2,61)= 7.90, p < .001). Temperament explained only 4% variance in social language use, it is not a significant predictor. The results stimulate further research into the importance of involving mothers with social anxiety in the treatment of their child with SM.Show less
Selective Mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder characterized by consistently not speaking in (social) situations, in which speaking is required. Little research has been done on SM. Literature...Show moreSelective Mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder characterized by consistently not speaking in (social) situations, in which speaking is required. Little research has been done on SM. Literature suggests that adolescents with social anxiety disorder (SA), which SM has many similarities with, apply more maladaptive coping strategies and less adaptive coping strategies, than adolescents without SA. In addition, boys seem to apply more maladaptive coping strategies than girls. However, there are no studies yet that confirm this for SM. The current study therefore aimed to investigate whether different coping strategies are used between adolescents with and without SM and what the role of gender is in this. In the study 79 adolescents participated with their parents, including 34 adolescents with SM and 45 adolescents without SM. The self-report questionnaire FEEL-KJ (Fragebogen zur Erhebung der Emotionsregulation bei Kindern und Jugendlichen) was used to identify the coping strategies used by adolescents. The study revealed that adolescents with SM used significantly more maladaptive coping strategies and less adaptive coping strategies than adolescents with SA. No significant difference was found in the use of external regulation strategies between adolescents with and without SM. There was no significant difference found in the use of coping strategies between boys and girls either. Also, no interaction was found between gender and SM in relation to coping strategies. The results provide a first indication of the coping strategies used in adolescents with SM, however, follow-up research should be conducted to confirm or disconfirm these results. Subsequently, this knowledge can be used in the treatment of SM.Show less
