The core research implications of this study concern measurement issues that need to be addressed in future large-scale studies. Clinical implications of this research concern the need for co-ordinated services between the home, hospital and school settings so that services and programmes focus on the ecology of the child who is ill.
Correlations between parent and teacher with child ratings were poor over 3 time points, and significant differences were found for sex and grade. Research is needed to understand reasons for poor concordance between parent, child, and teacher ratings of anxiety for all children.
Selective mutism (SM) is a childhood disorder characterized by failure to speak in social situations, despite there being an expectation to speak and the capacity to do so. There has been a focus on elucidating the differences between SM and anxiety disorder (ANX) in the recent literature. Although children with SM exhibit more symptoms at school than at home, the assessment of SM typically does not involve teacher reports. There is also a lack of research to help us better understand how to best support students with SM in the classroom, and linking assessment to intervention. The Teacher Telephone Interview: Selective Mutism and Anxiety in the School Setting (TTI-SM) was developed by a group of researchers across three large children's hospitals in Canada, within specialized ANXs Clinics, with the goal of addressing several of these diagnostic and treatment issues. Child participants (ages 6-11) were referred for SM (n = 19) or ANX (n = 10). Findings revealed that the SM subscale of the TTI-SM has acceptable psychometric properties. Scores on the SM subscale between the two groups of children were statistically significant Downloaded from 2 Canadian Journal of School Psychology t(29) = −3.67, p < .001, η 2 = .33, suggesting that the SM subscale was able to distinguish between children with SM and ANX. Given the promising findings, and possible uses of this tool for assessment and intervention, the TTI-SM warrants further research. The role of the teacher in the assessment of children with SM and anxiety disorders, and future directions are discussed.
The purpose of the study in this article was to replicate past findings showing the effectiveness of a cognitive, behavioral resilience-building/anxiety-prevention program, “FRIENDS for Life.” The results of the controlled study of two Grade 4 classrooms in Canada (N = 52) indicate that all children reported reduced levels of anxiety regardless of receiving the FRIENDS program. Limitations of the study are discussed and future research concerning school counseling programs using evidence-based approaches is highlighted.
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