ERIC Number: EJ1156610
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Oct
Pages: 2
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0164-775X
EISSN: N/A
Selective Mutism in Immigrant Children: Cultural Considerations for Assessment and Intervention
Thomson, Becky
Communique, v46 n2 p4, 6 Oct 2017
Selective mutism (SM) is a childhood anxiety disorder characterized by the persistent failure to speak in situations where speech is typically expected (e.g., school), despite speaking in other situations (e.g., home; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Immigrant children are more likely to be diagnosed with SM than the general population (Mayworm, Dowdy, Knights, & Rebelez, 2015). With this difference in mind, along with the fact that schools in the United States are becoming increasingly diverse and serving a growing number of immigrant children (Child Trends, 2014), school professionals should pay particular attention to this population when identifying and treating SM. Diversity in Development and Learning is a foundational competency in school psychology service delivery; therefore, it is especially important for school psychologists to attend to the unique needs of immigrant children through assessment and intervention practices. This article introduces selective mutism and cultural considerations with immigrant children.
Descriptors: Immigrants, Cultural Influences, Evaluation Methods, Anxiety, At Risk Students, School Psychologists, Student Needs, Cultural Relevance, Psychosomatic Disorders, Communication Problems, Second Language Learning, Intervention, Classroom Environment, Acculturation, Teaching Methods
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A