Abstract
Selective mutism (SM) is a rare condition whereby individuals remain silent in situations where speech is expected while they speak comfortably in others. Few studies thus far have attempted to understand this phenomenon from a qualitative perspective and have primarily focused on child sufferers of SM. The present study aims to address these gaps within the literature by presenting the subjective experiences of adult sufferers and to enable these excluded voices to broaden our understandings of this difficulty. Four adults with SM were interviewed using synchronous online techniques, data were analysed using an interpretative phenomenological methodology to gain an in-depth understanding which allowed participants’ voices to emerge. A detailed analysis is presented of four themes connecting the narratives of participant experiences. Excerpts from the diary of one of the authors who had previously suffered from SM are also included to facilitate authenticity and transparency within this research. The results capture how selective mutism was experienced for these participants as the imprisonment of a true identity behind silence and how they have attempted to negotiate their unwanted identities of being selectively mute. These findings are considered in the context of previous literature and their implications and possible avenues for future research are discussed.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 453-471 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Qualitative Research in Psychology |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 22 Jun 2015 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
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Lost Voices and Unlived Lives : Exploring Adults’ Experiences of Selective Mutism using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. / Walker, Aaron S.; Tobbell, Jane.
In: Qualitative Research in Psychology, Vol. 12, No. 4, 2015, p. 453-471.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Lost Voices and Unlived Lives
T2 - Qualitative Research in Psychology
AU - Walker, Aaron S.
AU - Tobbell, Jane
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Selective mutism (SM) is a rare condition whereby individuals remain silent in situations where speech is expected while they speak comfortably in others. Few studies thus far have attempted to understand this phenomenon from a qualitative perspective and have primarily focused on child sufferers of SM. The present study aims to address these gaps within the literature by presenting the subjective experiences of adult sufferers and to enable these excluded voices to broaden our understandings of this difficulty. Four adults with SM were interviewed using synchronous online techniques, data were analysed using an interpretative phenomenological methodology to gain an in-depth understanding which allowed participants’ voices to emerge. A detailed analysis is presented of four themes connecting the narratives of participant experiences. Excerpts from the diary of one of the authors who had previously suffered from SM are also included to facilitate authenticity and transparency within this research. The results capture how selective mutism was experienced for these participants as the imprisonment of a true identity behind silence and how they have attempted to negotiate their unwanted identities of being selectively mute. These findings are considered in the context of previous literature and their implications and possible avenues for future research are discussed.
AB - Selective mutism (SM) is a rare condition whereby individuals remain silent in situations where speech is expected while they speak comfortably in others. Few studies thus far have attempted to understand this phenomenon from a qualitative perspective and have primarily focused on child sufferers of SM. The present study aims to address these gaps within the literature by presenting the subjective experiences of adult sufferers and to enable these excluded voices to broaden our understandings of this difficulty. Four adults with SM were interviewed using synchronous online techniques, data were analysed using an interpretative phenomenological methodology to gain an in-depth understanding which allowed participants’ voices to emerge. A detailed analysis is presented of four themes connecting the narratives of participant experiences. Excerpts from the diary of one of the authors who had previously suffered from SM are also included to facilitate authenticity and transparency within this research. The results capture how selective mutism was experienced for these participants as the imprisonment of a true identity behind silence and how they have attempted to negotiate their unwanted identities of being selectively mute. These findings are considered in the context of previous literature and their implications and possible avenues for future research are discussed.
KW - elective mutism
KW - insider research
KW - IPA
KW - isolation
KW - qualitative
KW - selective mutism
KW - silence
KW - synchronous online interviews
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84932103041&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14780887.2015.1054533
DO - 10.1080/14780887.2015.1054533
M3 - Article
VL - 12
SP - 453
EP - 471
JO - Qualitative Research in Psychology
JF - Qualitative Research in Psychology
SN - 1478-0887
IS - 4
ER -