Melodic Intonation Therapy - supportive therapy for selective mutism a case study

Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) is going through a renaissance. The method is being tested in cases of post-stroke aphasia, apraxia and various speech disorders. The study examining the effectiveness of the method concerned a girl suffering from selective mutism (SM). The training caused a significant qualitative improvement in the functioning of the girl. She began to make both eye and verbal contact, in the environment in which so far she has not been able to speak words and communicate. Moreover, improvement was noticed in a short time after the start of therapy. There was a significant improvement in her motivation to make contact with other people, previously considered hostile. On the basis of the study it can be concluded that MIT can be considered as a method of supportive therapy of people suffering from SM. Further research should be undertaken to test the effectiveness of the method in SM.