Selective mutism

Selective mutism
Selective mutism
Specialty	Psychiatry

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder in which a person who is otherwise capable of speech becomes unable to speak when exposed to specific situations, specific places, or to specific people, one or multiple of which serving as triggers. This is caused by the freeze response. Selective mutism usually co-exists with social anxiety disorder.^[1] People with selective mutism stay silent even when the consequences of their silence include shame, social ostracism, or punishment.^[2]

^ Viana, A. G.; Beidel, D. C.; Rabian, B. (2009). "Selective mutism: A review and integration of the last 15 years". Clinical Psychology Review. 29 (1): 57–67. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2008.09.009. PMID 18986742.
^ Brown, Harriet (12 April 2005). "The Child Who Would Not Speak a Word". The New York Times.

[1] Viana, A. G.; Beidel, D. C.; Rabian, B. (2009). "Selective mutism: A review and integration of the last 15 years". Clinical Psychology Review. 29 (1): 57–67. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2008.09.009. PMID 18986742.

[2] Brown, Harriet (12 April 2005). "The Child Who Would Not Speak a Word". The New York Times.

[1]

[2]