Symptoms of selective mutism in non-clinical 3- to 6-year-old children: relations with social anxiety, autistic features, and behavioral inhibition
Date
2021-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Abstract
Selective mutism (SM) is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by a failure to
speak in specific social situations (e. g., at school) despite speaking normally in other
situations (e.g., at home). There is abundant evidence that anxiety, and social anxiety
in particular, is a prominent feature of SM, which is the main reason why this condition
is currently classified as an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, there is increasing support for
the notion that autism-related problems are also involved in SM. The present study
examined the relations between SM and social anxiety, autistic features, and behavioral
inhibition to the unfamiliar (i.e., the tendency to react with restraint and withdrawal
when confronted with unfamiliar stimuli and situations). Parents of 172 3- to 6-year-old
preschool children completed an online survey for measuring the relevant constructs.
Results showed that there were positive and statistically significant correlations between
SM and social anxiety, autistic features, and behavioral inhibition. Regression analyses
revealed that (1) both social anxiety and autistic features accounted for a significant and
unique proportion of the variance in SM scores, and (2) that both of these variables no
longermade a significant contribution once behavioral inhibition was added to themodel.
It can be concluded that while the involvement of social anxiety is unambiguous in SM,
autism-related problems are also implicated. Furthermore, behavioral inhibition seems to
play a key role in the non-speaking behavior of non-clinical young children.
Description
CITATION: Muris P, Monait N, Weijsters L and Ollendick TH (2021) Symptoms of Selective Mutism in Non-clinical 3- to
6-Year-Old Children: Relations With Social Anxiety, Autistic Features, and Behavioral Inhibition.
Front. Psychol. 12:669907. doi.10.3389/fpsyg.2021.669907
The original publication is available at: frontiersin.org
The original publication is available at: frontiersin.org
Keywords
Selective mutism, Social phobia, Autism spectrum disorders, Temperament in children
Citation
Muris P, Monait N, Weijsters L and Ollendick TH (2021) Symptoms of Selective Mutism in Non-clinical 3- to
6-Year-Old Children: Relations With Social Anxiety, Autistic Features, and Behavioral Inhibition.
Front. Psychol. 12:669907. doi.10.3389/fpsyg.2021.669907