Webinar – “Understanding Exposures and Extinction Learning in Selective Mutism”

A free webinar for parents and professionals working with children with selective mutism to help increase speaking across a variety of settings

Illinois STAR NET – Northern Region II Fall Family Webinar Series continues with “Understanding Exposures and Extinction Learning in Selective Mutism” on Nov. 9 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Selective mutism (SM) is a failure to speak when speaking is expected (e.g., school and public settings) despite having the ability to speak.  It is essentially an anxiety disorder that creates a fear of speaking in specific settings. Children with selective mutism are often very chatty at home and then become uncharacteristically quiet in school or in public.

Exposure tasks (e.g., speaking exposures) can reduce mutism and increase speaking by activating extinction learning, a process that helps build a more positive association between speaking and the feared outcome.

This webinar will focus on helping participants understand the extinction learning process and how to use speaking exposures to support a child’s ability to speak in a variety of settings.

Participants will explore:

• Recognizing selective mutism as an anxiety disorder
• Extinction learning and how it can support a child’s ability to speak
• Introducing the concept of exposure tasks to reduce mutism

See the webinar series flyer for more details.

Sign up online to attend. You must register by Nov. 8.

The last Fall Family Webinars will be “Transforming Aggressive Behaviors [Conscious Discipline]” on  Dec. 5 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.