title: Refining the classification of children with selective mutism: a latent profile analysis.
abstract: The goal of this study was to develop an empirically derived classification system for selective mutism (SM) using parent-report measures of social anxiety, behavior problems, and communication delays. The sample consisted of parents of 130 children (ages 5-12) with SM. Results from latent profile analysis supported a 3-class solution made up of an anxious-mildly oppositional group, an anxious-communication delayed group, and an exclusively anxious group. Follow-up tests indicated significant group differences on measures of SM symptom severity, externalizing problems, and expressive/receptive language abilities. These results suggest that, although social anxiety is typically a prominent feature of SM, children with the disorder are also likely to present with communication delays and/or mild behavior problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. shcohan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cohan
authors.forename: Denise A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chavira
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shipon-Blum
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Roesch
authors.forename: Murray B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009155:Mutism / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors