Background. This paper draws on a capacity-building initiative preparing parents of nine selectively mute (SM) children to take the lead in their child’s change process, starting, gradually and in tiny steps, to speak in more situations and to more people, especially in school. A close home-school-cooperation and parents’ authority to negotiate with schools is urgent in SM cases.  Aim and conceptual framework. The study investigates the possibilities and challenges in parents’ implementation of an authoritative parenting style (Baumrind, 1991; Snyder et al., 2013; Wentzel, 2002) in their interactions with the SM child. The innovation aims to strengthen parents’ capacity to promote social and emotional development in their child through the support of other parents in a parent guidance group, and from the researcher’s guidance. Methods. Egan’s problem-solving model (Egan, 2014) is used as a framework in the parent guidance group. Focus group-interviews in the parent group, and the parents’ written answers to questions arising from Egan’s skilled-helper model in between the meetings with parents form the data base of the project. Content analysis (Patton, 2002) is used to analyze the data. Common themes across families taking part are analyzed in NVivo (Richards, 2002). Results. A common theme among the families is how to find the right balance between supporting and challenging the SM child in communication with others. How to promote greater independence between children and parents is an urgent question from the project. Practical implications for parent-teacher-cooperation are highlighted.

Extended summary 

Background

Early intervention and close cooperation with parents is crucial to prevent serious mental health problems in children with selective mutism (SM) (Omdal, 2008). Without any guidance from professionals with SM expertise, parents and professionals are potential risk factors for the child’s progress (Omdal, 2014). This paper considers the innovation process in a parent guidance group with nine SM families phasing-in an authoritative parenting style (Baumrind, 1991; Snyder et al., 2013; Wentzel, 2002) in interactions with their SM child.

Aim and conceptual framework

The SM child’s constant withdrawal from speech interferes with learning and social communication and gets more and more ingrained the longer it lasts (Omdal, 2007). Previous research suggests that SM parents tend to overprotect the SM child (Omdal, 2014; Omdal & Galloway, 2008). Thus, this group of children may have few coping experiences in the environment. We started a parent guidance group with nine families having a child with SM in 2017, holding six meetings where parents exchanged experiences and received guidance from the researcher. This study investigates the possibilities and challenges in parents’ implementation of an authoritative parenting style. Authoritative parents prevent over-dependency in interactions with their child (Baumrind, 1991; Snyder et al., 2013; Wentzel, 2002). Egan’s skilled-helper model (Egan, 2014) was used as a framework in the parent guidance. The model is organized in three steps: (1) the current picture; (2) the preferred picture; and (3) the way forward. Participants are encouraged to be active during the entire process of implementing goals, decisions, and actions towards a changed situation. Continuous evaluation throughout the process is necessary to reach valued outcomes. The study questions whether Egan’s skilled-helper model is adequate in phasing-in the principles of the innovation. Fullan (2016) emphasizes that a strong collective orientation strengthens participants’ motivation for change. Thus, an effective collaborative culture and common learning processes among parents and parents and teachers might increase capacity (Hargreaves et al., 2018; Leithwood, 2019).

This paper is based on the results gathered by the author during the first year of implementation. The results are gathered from: (1) focus group-interviews with the parents who were responsible for creating the capacity in each SM case in the parent guidance group; and (2) participating parents’ written answers to questions arising from Egan’s (2014) skilled-helper model in between the parent meetings. Content analysis (Patton, 2002) is used in the analysis. Common themes across cases are analyzed in NVivo (Richards, 2002). The parents gave their informed consent to participate, in accordance with the ethical guidelines given by The National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (NESH, 2016). We search for the participants’ ‘real world experiences’ (Denzin & Lincoln, 2018) as objectively as possible. Our goal is to interpret the actions and social world from the interviewees’ own perspectives (Bryman, 2016).

A common theme among the families was how to find the right balance between supporting and challenging the SM child in communication with others. How to promote greater independence between the child and the parents is the main question from the project. The participants found it helpful to get support from other parents. They struggled at Egan’s (2014) third step, the action level. It was hard to implement the evidence-based principles of the innovation in their own situation. More supervision and support after the end of the project year was needed. Theoretical and educational significance In cases of selective mutism, capacity building is required to move from silence to speech. Parents are viewed as crucial change agents for the SM child. Practical implications for parent-teacher-cooperation are highlighted.

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