Elective Mutism: A Handbook for Educators, Counsellors and Health Care Professionals (Neuropsychology and Cognition (5))

"Undeniably, language is at the core of human existence. Merleau-Ponty (1945) posited that thought and language are one - cognition being language; language, cognition. Although such a categorical stance can be challenged from a number of theoretical perspectives as dogmatic and nonveridical, the critical role of language in humanness is irrefutable. It is what defines and distinguishes creatures at the apex of the phylogenetic scale. The fact that cognition predates verbal fluency and can take various nonverbal forms does not diminish the pivotal role of language - it is a functional requisite, an imperative. More than a mere vehicle to express thought, it transforms, modifies and shapes much of cognition. It cannot be trivialized. On many grounds man is capably rivalled by lower forms of existence - the gazelle is more graceful; the lion is stronger; the cheetah is fleeter. It is through his use of symbols that man usurps the ascendant position. Cassirer in Essay on Man (1946) described man as animal symbolicum, the animal that creates symbols and a symbolic world. Through language, humans transcend time and are able to describe events temporally removed - to reflect on the past, to conjecture the future. With words man can paint pictures, muse and dream, embrace and console, persuade and corrupt, educate and be educated. Language is a preferred performatory domain, nowhere more than in Western Civilization"--Font no determinada

The book has been written for applied researchers and practitioners in the disciplines of school psychology, speech-language pathology, special education, expressive therapy, family therapy, psychiatry, clinical psychology, pediatric medicine, and social work. Elective mutism is discussed within the important context of silence and gender differences in communication. The elective mutism literature focuses on the characteristics of specific patients but little has been done in systematic theory building. Hadley addresses this issue and argues for a multidimensional theory of elective mutism.
The book has five major purposes: (1) to provide a background for the problem of elective mutism by identifying the characteristics of healthy users of silence; (2) to provide a compendium of practical approaches for assessing and treating elective mutism; (3) to suggest etiological models of elective mutism based on the evaluation and synthesis of case study data; (4) to identify recurring themes and major issues in the published literature; and (5) to identify research questions related to the assessment and treatment of elective mutism.
A unique feature of the book is the inclusion of an assessment instrument for monitoring and recording information about the behavior of silence users. It can also be used to monitor and record progress during treatment. The book addresses the characteristics of elective mutism, psychosocial factors of silence and communication, psychosocial characteristics of electively mute persons, theories of elective mutism, legal aspects of the silence user role, direct observation of behavior, why-questions beyond direct observation, assessment of electively mute behavior, and unsystematic informal treatments. The treatment section is extensive and includes behavioral interventions such as positive self-modeling and expressive therapies such as play therapy, phototherapy and art therapy.

Front Matter....Pages i-xxvi Elective Mutism: Nature and Characteristics....Pages 1-5 Psychosocial Factors of Silence....Pages 6-23 Communication and Elective Mutism....Pages 24-29 Psychosocial Characteristics of Electively Mute Persons Part 1....Pages 30-35 Psychosocial Characteristics of Electively Mute Persons Part 2....Pages 36-41 Psychosocial Characteristics of Electively Mute Persons Part 3....Pages 42-51 Theories of Elective Mutism....Pages 52-65 Feigning the Silence User Role....Pages 66-74 Direct Observation of Behavior....Pages 75-79 Scatter Plot: Applications for Elective Mutism....Pages 80-88 Why-Questions: Beyond Direct Observation....Pages 89-92 Assessment of Electively Mute Behavior....Pages 93-104 Elective Mutism Interview Schedule....Pages 105-139 Treatment of Elective Mutism: Preliminary Considerations....Pages 140-148 Earliest Communication During Treatment of Electively Mute Persons....Pages 149-158 Follow-Up of Electively Mute Persons....Pages 159-168 Unsystematic Informal Treatments....Pages 169-171 Behavior Management Procedures Part 1....Pages 172-175 Behavior Management Procedures Part 2....Pages 176-190 Self-Modeling....Pages 191-194 Expressive Therapy Interventions Part 1....Pages 195-207 Expressive Therapy Interventions Part 2....Pages 208-220 Back Matter....Pages 221-243