Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder. People with selective mutism are typically able to speak freely at home but in other social situations are unable to speak because of their anxiety. It is most common in children.
Diagnosis Overview
SM is diagnosed by a psychologist. They are looking to see that the inability to speak in social situations is consistently happening for at least a month and not be caused by some other communication or speech issue.
What Selective Mutism is NOT
There are other reasons why someone may not speak but these do not reflect why a person with SM is consistently not speaking.
- Shyness – SM is an anxiety disorder. People with SM can also be shy but their not speaking is not because of their temperament but because of the anxiety disorder.
- Defiance – The inability to speak is not because of they are trying to be difficult it is because the anxiety prevents them from being able to do it.
- Lack of Intelligence – People with SM are not speaking because of the anxiety and not because they lack the ability to understand what the other person is saying and respond.
- Autism – Some people can have both autism and SM but SM is only if a person can speak freely in some situations but not in others.
Helpful Resources about Selective Mutism
Here are the links to some SM resources that I’ve found helpful.
- Selective Mutism Association
- Selective Mutism Center
- Child Mind Institute
- Selective Mutism Information & Research Association
Have you found other resources that you really like? Are there any key things that I missed in the overview of selective mutism? Share in comments!