Elective mutism in a first grader: the remediation of a complex behavioral problem

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Special Education
• Behavioral Intervention

Background:

• Classroom behavioral issues are common challenges for educators.
• Muteness in children presents significant educational and social hurdles.
• Effective interventions are needed to support speech development in affected students.

Observation:

• This study focused on a six-year-old child experiencing mutism.
• The intervention involved a first-grade teacher and an aide.
• Speech production was observed in both spontaneous and prompted contexts.

Findings:

• A reinforcement system for peer-prompted and spontaneous speech was implemented.
• The system was applied across three separate classrooms using a multiple-baseline design.
• The reinforcement strategy effectively elicited both prompted and spontaneous speech from the child.

Implications:

• The study suggests a practical classroom-based method for teachers to address severe speech impairments.
• The intervention demonstrated lasting positive effects, with the child continuing to speak spontaneously in second grade.
• This approach offers a potential strategy for managing handicapping conditions related to speech development in educational settings.