Prospects for Clinical Reports on Selective Mutism Conducted in Japan: A Scoping Review1

Abstract

This scoping review examined clinical reports for selective mutism (SM) in Japan, the progress of literature, participants' demographic characteristics, and achievements of interventions. Multiple online databases were used to identify articles published before May 2021; a total of 175 articles and 218 participants were selected. The majority of articles followed a single-case design, and there has been an increase in the number of articles published over the last few decades. The participants' ages and genders were similar across different countries. Only 20.2% of participants were diagnosed with SM; 31.7% had comorbidities, with SM symptoms being the most common complaint. The most common intervention program was a weekly hour-long treatment session and less than a year of intervention. About half of the participants used assessment tools, with 21.6% reporting a quantitative outcome. The most commonly used intervention methods were behavioral therapy and play therapy. This review systematically maps SM research in Japan and advocates further high-quality research.