Family therapy with selectively mute children: a case study

Due to its rarity (<1% of all clinical cases), few Marriage and Family Therapists have significant expertise in dealing with children who have become selectively mute, and little research has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of family therapy in treating this disorder. Much of what has been researched does not serve to provide a cohesive or uniform road map to follow in determining the course of treatment. The purposes of this article are (a) to present a case study outlining specific treatment interventions in a specific case used over the course of 2 years in a school-based setting, (b) to demonstrate the efficacy of utilizing school-based family-centered treatment, and (c) to stimulate further research and development on the efficacy of family therapy in alleviating anxiety and stress in children who have developed this disorder.