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Anxiety and oppositional behavior profiles among youth with selective mutism
Rachele A Diliberto1, Christopher A Kearney1
1University of Nevada, Las Vegas, United States.
Journal of Communication Disorders
|December 2, 2015
Summary
Selective mutism (SM) presents with distinct anxious and oppositional behavior profiles in children. These profiles impact social anxiety, aggression, and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, guiding assessment and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Child psychology
- Clinical psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Selective mutism (SM) is a childhood disorder characterized by a consistent failure to speak in specific social situations.
- The underlying behavioral patterns of SM have been historically debated, with some evidence suggesting links to anxiety and oppositional behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine behavioral characteristics in youth diagnosed with selective mutism.
- To identify and differentiate anxious and oppositional behavior profiles within this clinical sample.
- To explore the implications of these profiles for assessment and treatment.
Main Methods:
- A clinical sample of 57 youth with a formal diagnosis of selective mutism was assessed.
- Parental ratings of internalizing and externalizing behaviors were collected using the Child Behavior Checklist.
- Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to derive behavior profiles from 18 highly rated items.
Main Results:
- Two distinct behavior profiles emerged: an anxious behavior profile and an oppositional behavior profile.
- The anxious profile correlated with social anxiety disorder symptoms, social problems, and aggression.
- The oppositional profile was associated with aggression, oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, social problems, and inversely with social anxiety disorder symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Results support the existence of distinct subgroups within the selective mutism population.
- Identified behavior profiles offer valuable insights for refining diagnostic assessments.
- Understanding these profiles can inform tailored treatment strategies for children with selective mutism.
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