Refusal to Speak: Treatment of Selective Mutism in Children (Child Therapy (Jason Aronson))

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0765701251 ISBN 13: 9780765701251

Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc., 1999

Selective mutism in children is characterized by persistent refusal to speak in one or more social situations (e.g., at school or among strangers), notwithstanding the demonstrated ability to use language at home. The range of treatment options has recently expanded to include promising behavioral, psychopharmacological, and multi-modal approaches in addition to psychodynamic and family systems therapy. Toward overcoming the traditional intractability of the disorder, the authors exhort clinicians - psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, counselors, social workers - to familiarize themselves with all of the options in order to expand their repertoires and individualize treatment strategies. Comprehensive in scope, this book presents the major therapeutic approaches and offers alternatives to professionals working with selectively mute children.

Review:

Refusal to Speak embodies a rare blend of scholarly thoroughness and clinical practicality. In treating as perplexing and difficult a condition as selective mutism, it is important to gain as broad and comprehensive a view as possible. I appreciate the astute and integrative interventions described throughout the book; practitioners from a variety of clinical orientations will find a great deal of guidance within these pages. The interventions described with clarity would make excellent didactic material. Drs. Spasaro and Schaefer have woven together a superb edited volume.--Neil Bockian

Refusal To Speak: Treatment of Selective Mutism in Children is of significant value to professionals working with children who present with this extraordinary behavioral pattern. The book pulls together the available literature and then goes one step further. The material is organized into chapters written from behavioral, psychodynamic, psychiatric, and family systems perspectives. This allows practitioners from a wide variety of philosophies to benefit from the material. I highly recommend this book to my colleagues who work with children.--Lawrence A. Dana

About the Author:

Sheila A. Spasaro, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with the Rockland County, New York Chapter of NYSARC, and maintains a consulting psychology practice in Dutchess County, New York. Charles E. Schaefer, Ph.D., is professor of psychology and director of the Psychological Services Center, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, New Jersey.