title: Systematic assessment of 50 children with selective mutism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the diagnostic significance of selective mutism (elective mutism in DSM-III-R).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty children with selective mutism were evaluated systematically by means of semistructured clinical interviews and rating scales to obtain detailed diagnostic information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 50 children met DSM-III-R criteria for social phobia or avoidant disorder and 24 (48%) had additional anxiety disorders. Clinical measures of anxiety and behavioral symptoms supported the presence of anxiety disorders as a characteristic of selectivity mute children. Only one case each of oppositional defiant disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent selective mutism typically presents in the context of anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dummit
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Tancer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asche
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fairbanks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009155:Mutism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012792:Shyness; D014836:Volition / Q000502:physiology*