Creating Parent Capacity in Cases of Selective Mutism

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Family Therapy

Background:

• Selective mutism (SM) presents significant communication challenges for children.
• Parental involvement is crucial for addressing SM.
• Existing interventions often lack a structured framework for parental guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empower parents of children with selective mutism (SM) to lead their child's communication development.
• To explore parental strategies for supporting and challenging SM children.
• To investigate methods for fostering independence in parent-child relationships within the context of SM.

Main Methods:

• A capacity-building initiative involving a parent guidance group.
• Utilized Egan's skilled helper model as a theoretical framework.
• Data collected through focus group interviews and written responses, analyzed via content analysis.

Main Results:

• Parents identified the challenge of balancing support and challenge in their child's communication.
• A key theme was the need to promote greater independence in parent-child interactions.
• The initiative provided parents with tools to actively participate in their child's progress.

Conclusions:

• Parental capacity-building is effective in addressing selective mutism.
• Egan's skilled helper model offers a valuable framework for guiding parents.
• Future research should focus on long-term outcomes and strategies for enhancing child independence.