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Selective mutism

MedGen UID:
116023
•Concept ID:
C0236818
•
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonym: Elective mutism
SNOMED CT: Elective mutism (71959007); Selective mutism (71959007)

Definition

A persistent failure to speak in certain social situations (i.e., school) where speaking is expected, despite speaking in other situations. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVSelective mutism

Professional guidelines

PubMed

World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and posttraumatic stress disorders - Version 3. Part I: Anxiety disorders.
Bandelow B, Allgulander C, Baldwin DS, Costa DLDC, Denys D, Dilbaz N, Domschke K, Eriksson E, Fineberg NA, Hättenschwiler J, Hollander E, Kaiya H, Karavaeva T, Kasper S, Katzman M, Kim YK, Inoue T, Lim L, Masdrakis V, Menchón JM, Miguel EC, Möller HJ, Nardi AE, Pallanti S, Perna G, Rujescu D, Starcevic V, Stein DJ, Tsai SJ, Van Ameringen M, Vasileva A, Wang Z, Zohar J
World J Biol Psychiatry 2023 Feb;24(2):79-117. Epub 2022 Jul 28 doi: 10.1080/15622975.2022.2086295. PMID: 35900161
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Ströhle A, Gensichen J, Domschke K
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Sep 14;155(37):611-620. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0611. PMID: 30282583Free PMC Article
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Selective mutism - an overview of the condition and etiology: is the absence of speech just the tip of the iceberg?
Rozenek EB, Orlof W, Nowicka ZM, Wilczyńska K, Waszkiewicz N
Psychiatr Pol 2020 Apr 30;54(2):333-349. doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/108503. PMID: 32772064
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Ströhle A, Gensichen J, Domschke K
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Sep 14;155(37):611-620. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0611. PMID: 30282583Free PMC Article
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article
Pediatric selective mutism therapy: a randomized controlled trial.
Esposito M, Gimigliano F, Barillari MR, Precenzano F, Ruberto M, Sepe J, Barillari U, Gimigliano R, Militerni R, Messina G, Carotenuto M
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2017 Oct;53(5):643-650. Epub 2016 Nov 10 doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.16.04037-5. PMID: 27830922
Selective mutism.
Hua A, Major N
Curr Opin Pediatr 2016 Feb;28(1):114-20. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000300. PMID: 26709680

Diagnosis

Anxiety Disorders in the DSM-5: Changes, Controversies, and Future Directions.
Park SC, Kim YK
Adv Exp Med Biol 2020;1191:187-196. doi: 10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_12. PMID: 32002930
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Ströhle A, Gensichen J, Domschke K
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Sep 14;155(37):611-620. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0611. PMID: 30282583Free PMC Article
Anxiety.
Craske MG, Stein MB
Lancet 2016 Dec 17;388(10063):3048-3059. Epub 2016 Jun 24 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30381-6. PMID: 27349358
Selective mutism.
Hua A, Major N
Curr Opin Pediatr 2016 Feb;28(1):114-20. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000300. PMID: 26709680
Speech and language delay in children.
McLaughlin MR
Am Fam Physician 2011 May 15;83(10):1183-8. PMID: 21568252

Therapy

Current and Novel Psychopharmacological Drugs for Anxiety Disorders.
Bandelow B
Adv Exp Med Biol 2020;1191:347-365. doi: 10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_19. PMID: 32002937
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Ströhle A, Gensichen J, Domschke K
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Sep 14;155(37):611-620. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0611. PMID: 30282583Free PMC Article
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article
Anxiety.
Craske MG, Stein MB
Lancet 2016 Dec 17;388(10063):3048-3059. Epub 2016 Jun 24 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30381-6. PMID: 27349358
Selective mutism.
Hua A, Major N
Curr Opin Pediatr 2016 Feb;28(1):114-20. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000300. PMID: 26709680

Prognosis

Selective mutism - an overview of the condition and etiology: is the absence of speech just the tip of the iceberg?
Rozenek EB, Orlof W, Nowicka ZM, Wilczyńska K, Waszkiewicz N
Psychiatr Pol 2020 Apr 30;54(2):333-349. doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/108503. PMID: 32772064
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article
Pediatric selective mutism therapy: a randomized controlled trial.
Esposito M, Gimigliano F, Barillari MR, Precenzano F, Ruberto M, Sepe J, Barillari U, Gimigliano R, Militerni R, Messina G, Carotenuto M
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2017 Oct;53(5):643-650. Epub 2016 Nov 10 doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.16.04037-5. PMID: 27830922
Selective mutism.
Hua A, Major N
Curr Opin Pediatr 2016 Feb;28(1):114-20. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000300. PMID: 26709680
Speech and language delay in children.
McLaughlin MR
Am Fam Physician 2011 May 15;83(10):1183-8. PMID: 21568252

Clinical prediction guides

Diagnosing selective mutism: a critical review of measures for clinical practice and research.
Rodrigues Pereira C, Ensink JBM, Güldner MG, Lindauer RJL, De Jonge MV, Utens EMWJ
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023 Oct;32(10):1821-1839. Epub 2021 Dec 1 doi: 10.1007/s00787-021-01907-2. PMID: 34853909Free PMC Article
Distinguishing selective mutism and social anxiety in children: a multi-method study.
Poole KL, Cunningham CE, McHolm AE, Schmidt LA
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021 Jul;30(7):1059-1069. Epub 2020 Jul 4 doi: 10.1007/s00787-020-01588-3. PMID: 32623696
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article
Pediatric selective mutism therapy: a randomized controlled trial.
Esposito M, Gimigliano F, Barillari MR, Precenzano F, Ruberto M, Sepe J, Barillari U, Gimigliano R, Militerni R, Messina G, Carotenuto M
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2017 Oct;53(5):643-650. Epub 2016 Nov 10 doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.16.04037-5. PMID: 27830922
Selective mutism and temperament: the silence and behavioral inhibition to the unfamiliar.
Gensthaler A, Khalaf S, Ligges M, Kaess M, Freitag CM, Schwenck C
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016 Oct;25(10):1113-20. Epub 2016 Mar 12 doi: 10.1007/s00787-016-0835-4. PMID: 26970743

Recent systematic reviews

Beyond the language barrier: A systematic review of selective mutism in culturally and linguistically diverse children.
Slobodin O
Transcult Psychiatry 2023 Apr;60(2):313-331. Epub 2023 Jan 10 doi: 10.1177/13634615221146435. PMID: 36628442
EEG correlates of attentional control in anxiety disorders: A systematic review of error-related negativity and correct-response negativity findings.
Michael JA, Wang M, Kaur M, Fitzgerald PB, Fitzgibbon BM, Hoy KE
J Affect Disord 2021 Aug 1;291:140-153. Epub 2021 May 24 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.049. PMID: 34038831
Treatment of selective mutism based on cognitive behavioural therapy, psychopharmacology and combination therapy - a systematic review.
Østergaard KR
Nord J Psychiatry 2018 May;72(4):240-250. Epub 2018 Feb 15 doi: 10.1080/08039488.2018.1439530. PMID: 29447060
The use of medication in selective mutism: a systematic review.
Manassis K, Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016 Jun;25(6):571-8. Epub 2015 Nov 9 doi: 10.1007/s00787-015-0794-1. PMID: 26560144

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