Key terms related to childhood anxiety, selective mutism, school avoidance, and family support.

Selective Mutism Terms

Selective Mutism — An anxiety disorder where a child consistently cannot speak in specific social situations (e.g., school) despite speaking normally in others (e.g., home). DSM-5-TR code: 313.23.

Brave Ladder — A graduated exposure tool used in selective mutism treatment. The child works through increasingly challenging communication steps, from whispering to a parent to speaking in class.

Stimulus Fading — A technique for selective mutism where a child speaks with a trusted person, then that person gradually fades out while a new person fades in.

Communication Temptation — A strategy where adults create situations that motivate the child to communicate, such as offering choices, giving incomplete instructions, or using surprise elements.

Shaping — A behavioral technique that reinforces successive approximations of the target behavior (speaking). In selective mutism, this might start with nonverbal communication and gradually move toward speech.

Sliding In — A technique where a trusted person gradually introduces a new person into a conversation the child is already having, helping the child generalize speech to new people.

School Avoidance Terms

School Refusal — Anxiety-driven difficulty attending school where the child wants to go but cannot. Distinct from truancy, which is behavior-driven and intentional.

School Avoidance — A broader pattern where a child resists or attends school with great difficulty, often due to anxiety. May include physical symptoms on school days.

Truancy — Deliberate, unauthorized absence from school without parental knowledge. Unlike school refusal, truancy is behavior-driven rather than anxiety-driven.

Graduated Return — A step-by-step approach to returning a school-avoidant child to school, starting with brief visits and gradually increasing attendance duration and frequency.

504 Plan — A plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that provides accommodations for students with disabilities in school. Does not require special education classification.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) — A legally binding document for students who qualify for special education services under IDEA. Provides individualized goals, services, and accommodations.

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) — A process for identifying the function (purpose) of a child’s behavior. Used to develop interventions for school avoidance and other behavioral challenges.

General Parenting Terms

Emotional Regulation — The ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences. Children with anxiety often need support developing this skill.

Behavioral Activation — A therapeutic approach that increases engagement in positive, rewarding activities to counteract avoidance and withdrawal.

Psychoeducation — Teaching children and families about anxiety, its mechanisms, and treatment strategies. A foundational component of anxiety treatment.

Anxiety Sensitivity — The belief that anxiety symptoms are harmful or dangerous. Children with high anxiety sensitivity may interpret normal stress responses as signs of illness.