Affective temperament, attachment, emotional problems, and parenting in mothers of children with selective mutism: A case-control study

Background: Selective mutism (SM) is a rare psychiatric disorder, and there are maternal factors that may play a role in its development. Aims: The aims of our study are to determine the differences between mothers of children with SM and controls concerning affective temperament, attachment, emotional problems, and parenting attitudes and to reveal how these factors affect the emotional symptoms of the children. Method: The study included 74 children, 37 diagnosed with SM and 37 healthy controls. We evaluated the children using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and examined their mothers using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire, Relationship Scales Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Parental Attitude Research Instrument. We conducted statistical analysis using SPSS 23.0 and R 4.3.1. Results: In our study, mothers of children diagnosed with SM showed more cyclothymic temperament, fearful attachment styles, and less secure attachment compared to controls. These mothers exhibited higher levels of anxiety and depression, and they tended to adopt over-parenting and authoritarian attitudes, along with fewer democratic behaviors. In addition, we identified maternal depressive temperament and overprotective parental attitude as potential factors that may be associated with SM in the child. Conclusions: We believe that focusing on affective temperament, maternal attachment styles, and parenting attitudes could enhance our understanding of children with SM and their mothers.