Selective mutism - the optics of the present

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe a brief overview of the current scientific concept of selective mutism. Professional awareness of selective mutism has undergone significant changes since the first pioneering work of Dr. Kussmaul in 1877 and the later work of child psychiatrist Tramer in 1934. This review study provides a summary of the current scientific knowledge on selective mutism. The main goal is to draw attention to the fact that current studies and analyzes offer the classification of selective mutism among neurodevelopmental disorders, as selective mutism is a heterogeneous, complex and multifaceted disorder. Classification among anxiety disorders does not appear to be entirely appropriate. At the same time, the text offers a proposal of subtypes for selective mutism, which implies the necessity of a multimodal intervention. At the forefront of scientific research is now the effort to uncover the relationship between anxiety and selective mutism - whether it is an etiological mechanism or a symptom. Clarification of this issue would probably lead to the reclassification of this relatively rare anxiety disorder.