A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Selective mutism and the risk of mental and neurodevelopmental disorders among siblings
Authors: Koskela Miina, Jokiranta-Olkoniemi Elina, Luntamo Terhi, Suominen Auli, Sourander Andre, Steinhausen Hans-Christoph
Publisher: SPRINGER
Publication year: 2022
Journal: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Journal name in source: EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
Journal acronym: EUR CHILD ADOLES PSY
Number of pages: 12
ISSN: 1018-8827
eISSN: 1435-165X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02114-3
Web address : https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00787-022-02114-3
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/177698064
The siblings of children with mental disorders are more likely to experience mental health issues themselves, but there has been a lack of sibling studies on selective mutism (SM). The aim of this population-based study was to use national registers to examine associations between children with SM and diagnoses of various mental disorder in their siblings. All singleton children born in Finland from 1987 to 2009, and diagnosed with SM from 1998 to 2012, were identified from national health registers and matched with four controls by age and sex. Their biological siblings and parents were identified using national registries and the diagnostic information on the siblings of the subjects and controls was obtained. The final analyses comprised 658 children with SM and their 1661 siblings and 2092 controls with 4120 siblings. The analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations. Mental disorders were more common among the siblings of the children with SM than among the siblings of the controls. The strongest associations were observed for childhood emotional disorders and autism spectrum disorders after the data were adjusted for covariates and comorbid diagnoses among SM subjects. The final model showed associations between SM and a wide range of disorders in siblings, with strongest associations with disorders that usually have their onset during childhood. Our finding showed that SM clustered with other mental disorders in siblings and this requires further research, especially the association between SM and autism spectrum disorders. Strong associations with childhood onset disorders may indicate shared etiologies.
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