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CompletedNCT01002196Updated Jun 20, 2014

Randomised Controlled Treatment Study of Selective Mutism

A Phase 2 interventional study of Stimulus fading procedures and Guidance on defocused communication in Selective Mutism, sponsored by Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse. Completed at 1 site in Norway. Open to participants aged 3 Years to 9 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-06-20.

Sponsored by Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
24
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
3 Years to 9 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Selective mutism (SM) describes inhibited and withdrawn children who are persistently mute in central situations despite ability to talk. SM may cause great suffering and create problems, both socially and related to learning. SM is associated with social anxiety, neurodevelopmental delay and bilingualism. The prevalence is about .7-8 ‰. Adequate assessment and treatment of SM is seldom provided in the mental health services. SM is considered hard to treat, and randomised treatment studies are lacking. This study will examine the effect of a manual based treatment for SM. The treatment consists of home- and kindergarten /school based interventions including behaviour techniques and psychoeducation. Defocused communication is a general treatment principle. Comorbidity, including neurodevelopmental delay /disorder, and predictors of outcome, will be examined. A pilot study was conducted to ensure the feasibility of the planned effectiveness study. Seven children, aged 3-5 years were included. Six has started treatment, and all talked in the kinder garden within the first 3 months. The present study will have a randomised controlled design with 1. Manual based intervention for 6 months compared to 2. Waiting list controls (3 months), and then manual based intervention. The sample: Children aged 3-9 years consecutively referred to the school psychology- or the mental health services in Oslo and Eastern Norway. Expected N = 24 based on the pilot study, is a sufficient sample size to answer our primary research question. The treatment will be given by a therapist from the research group or by a local clinician under supervision. The study can add essential knowledge on treatment of SM and make effective treatment available to clinicians in the community.

02

Conditions studied

  • Selective Mutism

Keywords

  • Selective Mutism
  • Intervention
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse is the lead sponsor of 8 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
3 Years to 9 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Children from Eastern \& Southern Norway will be included if they fulfill the diagnostic criteria for SM

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with SM and mental retardation with IQ below 50.
  • Children with SM and psychosis or pervasive developmental disorders with the exception of Asperger syndrome and PDD Nos (DSM-IV)
  • Children with SM who receive an active treatment for SM in the CAMHS
  • Children with SM who are medicated for social anxiety.
  • Children with SM where the parents do not understand Norwegian.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
24 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    stimulus fading procedures

    Behavioral: Stimulus fading procedures · Behavioral: Guidance on defocused communication

  • Active comparator
    guidance of defocused communication

    Behavioral: Guidance on defocused communication

Interventions

  • BehavioralStimulus fading procedures

    Core elements : 1.Behavior techniques (BT's) are used to gradually master the anxiety ("stimulus fading" and reward). 2. Children are first met at home where they feel most safe, and the BT's are first conducted at home in cooperation with the parents. 3.The same interventions are then continued in the environment where the problem primarily exist (kindergarten / school) not at the clinic. 4.Defocused communication- and interaction is a general treatment principle (e.g. avoid looking directly at the child, sit beside not opposite to the child, no direct questioning, and communication is based upon a motivating activity, not about the child). 5.Frequent and short interventions. 6.Information to parents and teachers on how to communicate with children with SM

    Also known as: stimulus fading technique, defocused communication

  • BehavioralGuidance on defocused communication

    Guidance and supervision to teachers working with the children with SM. Frequency: Twice during three months

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. School version of the Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SSQ)

    Time frame: at 3, 6, 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI)

    Time frame: at 3, 6, 12 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway
    Oslo, 0405, Norway
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H. Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. Epub 2018 Jan 22. PubMed 29357099 ↗
  • Oerbeck B, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H. Selective mutism: follow-up study 1 year after end of treatment. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2015 Jul;24(7):757-66. doi: 10.1007/s00787-014-0620-1. Epub 2014 Sep 30. PubMed 25267381 ↗
  • Oerbeck B, Stein MB, Wentzel-Larsen T, Langsrud O, Kristensen H. A randomized controlled trial of a home and school-based intervention for selective mutism - defocused communication and behavioural techniques. Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2014 Sep;19(3):192-198. doi: 10.1111/camh.12045. Epub 2013 Oct 26. PubMed 32878377 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 20, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01002196
Lead sponsor
Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse
Collaborators
The Research Council of Norway
Responsible party
Hanne Kristensen (Director Section for Clinical Research, Regionsenter for barn og unges psykiske helse) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 27, 2009
Start date
Jun 2009
Primary completion
Dec 2011
Completion
Dec 2011
Last update
Jun 20, 2014

Study contacts

Hanne Kristensen, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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