History
In 1877, a German physician described children who were able to speak normally but often refused to as having a disorder he named aphasia voluntaria. Although this is now an obsolete term, it was part of an early effort to describe the concept now called selective mutism.
In 1980, a study by Torey Hayden identified what she called four "subtypes" of elective mutism, although this set of subtypes is not in current diagnostic use. First, and most common, she described "symbiotic mutism" characterized by a vocal and dominating mother and absent father and the use of mutism as controlling behavior around other adults. Second, the least common, was the "speech phobic mutism" subtype, in which the child showed distinct fear at hearing a recording of his or her voice. This subtype also involved ritualistic behaviors and was thought to be caused by having been told to keep a family secret.
Hayden's third subtype was "reactive mutism," thought to be caused by trauma or abuse, though not all children put in this category were known to have been abused. These children all showed symptoms of depression and were notably withdrawn, usually showing no facial expressions. In her fourth and last subtype, Hayden described "passive-aggressive mutism" in which silence is used as a display of hostility, connected to antisocial behavior. Some of the children in this group had not been mute until age 9–12. These subtypes are no longer recognized, though "speech phobia" is sometimes used to describe a selectively mute person who appears not to have any symptoms of social anxiety.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), first published in 1952, first included elective mutism in its third edition, published in 1980. Elective mutism was described as "a continuous refusal to speak in almost all social situations" despite normal ability to speak. While "excessive shyness" and other anxiety-related traits were listed as associated features, predisposing factors included "maternal overprotection", mental retardation, and trauma. Elective mutism in the third edition revised (DSM III-R) is described similarly to the third edition except for specifying that the disorder is not related to social phobia.
In 1994, Sue Newman, co-founder of the Selective Mutism Foundation, requested that the fourth edition of the DSM reflect the name change from elective mutism to selective mutism and describe the disorder as a failure to speak. The relation to anxiety disorders was emphasized, particularly in the revised version (DSM IV-TR).
Read more about this topic: Selective Mutism
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“It may be well to remember that the highest level of moral aspiration recorded in history was reached by a few ancient Jews—Micah, Isaiah, and the rest—who took no count whatever of what might not happen to them after death. It is not obvious to me why the same point should not by and by be reached by the Gentiles.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)
“[Men say:] “Don’t you know that we are your natural protectors?” But what is a woman afraid of on a lonely road after dark? The bears and wolves are all gone; there is nothing to be afraid of now but our natural protectors.”
—Frances A. Griffin, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 19, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)
“If you look at the 150 years of modern China’s history since the Opium Wars, then you can’t avoid the conclusion that the last 15 years are the best 15 years in China’s modern history.”
—J. Stapleton Roy (b. 1935)