Entrance Exams (1)

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Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Entrance Exams (1)

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When I was in junior high school, I couldn't pass the entrance exam to the high school I wanted to go to . Since then, my aim had been to enter a prestigious university.

Japanese universities then had two types of admission. One was general admission. Students granted general admission if they passed entrance exams that was mainly paper test. Unlike US, each universities conducted selective entrance exams. The other was recommended admission. Students granted recommended admission if principals of their high schools recommended them to universities and they passed entrance exams that was mainly interview exams.

I was going to apply for general admission to national universities and private universities. The schedule was as follows:

[January]
National Center Test for University Admissions (preliminary entrance exam to national universities)
[early-February]
Entrance exams to private universities
[late-February and mid-March]
Secondary entrance exams to national universities

I took NCTUA and three entrance exams. Although I was a nervous man, I felt relaxed when I sit for the exams. I think one reason for that is that my high school had students rehearse entrance examination again and again.

I was at my best at the entrance exams. I achieved a good score at NCTUA and passed exams for two private universities. But I was not confident of passing exams if applied for recommended admission and took interview exams. I didn't overcome selective mutism completely at that time, so I had no confidence to talk at interviews.

In this way, I took three exams. but one exam was left. That is secondary entrance exams to national universities.

(To be continued)

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Bullied to death

A Japanese junior high school student with selective mutism suffered severe violence by bullies and passed away because of the violence in 1991.

According to proceedings of a regular meeting of Toyonaka municipal assembly held March 1992, Bunichi Hotta, a member of the assembly, said, "Ms *** ***, who passed away because of bullying, had mental retardation and selective mutism. But her school didn't provide her with proper education. That was a serious problem."

(*** *** is a name of the girl who passed away)

The case seemed to be famous nationwide then. I consulted a local newspaper at that time issued in the area I live (far away from Toyonaka). The case was featured largely. Besides, the case was mentioned in Diet (Japanese Congress). Even now, Wikipedia refers to the case.

About the case in Wikipedia (Japanese)
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But few Japanese people seem to know she had selective mutism. As long as my research, some newspapers or books and so on write she had disorders. But almost all of them wrote vaguely about her disorder. For instance, "She had mild emotional disorders."

It's very regrettable the tragedy occurred. She had selective mutism as well as me. In addition, she's the similar age with me if she didn't pass away. I hope such tragedy never happens again.

[Reference]

Sachiko Takeda (2005) Anata ha kodomo no inochi wo mamoremasuka - Ijime hakusho "jisatsu, satsujin, shogai 121 nin no kokoro no sakebi!"-, Tokyo: WAVE Publishers.

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My words had great impact

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Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

My words had great impact

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[I taught English to my classmates]

I was regarded a bright student, so some classmates asked me to teach Japanese history, mathematics, English, etc. Although I had selective mutism, I was able to speak quietly then. So, I taught my classmates them in a quiet voice. When I think back, it may have been a behavioural therapy.

[My words had great impact]

One day seating arrangements were changed, and my seat moved next to a female classmate. I became friendly with her.

On a certain day she felt depressed because she was rebuked by our homeroom teacher for her bad exam results. So, I offered words of encouragement to her. Of course, it was rare for me to talk to somebody, as I had selective mutism.

Fortunately, she was very pleased with my words. Girl students next to us said, "Your words have great impact. Even if talkative girls like us says the same words, that doesn't have high impact as yours." The next day the female classmates talked to other classmates about my yesterday's offering words of encouragement proudly. She seemed to be very glad about my words.

[I tended to avoid going to places where people gather]

I tended to avoid going to places where people gather. For instance, career guidance room and library in my school. But I don't know whether this was because I had selective mutism.

My school placed Akahon in the career guidance room. Akahon are Japanese student's bible that contains information about colleges and archives of colleges' entrance exams. Many students went to the career guidance room and read Akahon to gain information about colleges or to solve past colleges' entrance exams. In contrast, I didn't go to the room.

(To be continued)

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Selective Mutism and Hikikomori (2)

I think this description is significance, because it is written clearly in MHLW guideline that selective mutism is not only a childhood problem but can have lasting effects as Hikikomori. In fact, I hear not negligible number of Japanese people who suffered (or suffer) from selective mutism become Hikikomori. One Japanese support group for children with selective mutism claims that some children with selective mutism become Hikikomori later.

I don't know what evidence the authors of the guideline have. There are few studies on long term outcome of selective mutism also in Japan. But I guess several Hikikomori cases that have the experience of selective mutism are reported among institutions for Hikikomori people, such as Mental Health and Welfare Center, Public Health Center, etc..

It is interesting to note that the guideline mentions the relationship between school refusal and selective mutism. Traditionally it has been thought that Japanese children with selective mutism in general don't suffer from school refusal, because it's conspicuous to miss school for a long time. Children with selective mutism tend to avoid being conspicuous.

Although the guideline only make passing reference to selective mutism, I want many professionals to read the sentences about the disorder. That can help to raise awareness of selective mutism.

Last but not least, please note that not all Japanese children with selective mutism become Hikikomori later.

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Selective Mutism and Hikikomori (1)

Hikikomori is a serious social problem in Japan.

What is Hikikomori? Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare defines Hikikomori as "A phenomenal concept which means avoiding social participation (e.g. school attendance including compulsory education, entering the workforce including part-time job and associating with somebody outside the home) and generally remaining at home for 6 month and over in principle (including going outside without associating with somebody). Moreover, although as a general rule we define Hikikomori as nonpsychotic phenomenon excluding social withdrawal based on a positive and negative symptom of schizophrenia, keep in mind that it's not uncommon that Hikikomori includes schizophrenia before a definite diagnosis is made."

MHLW revised a guideline for assessment and support for Hikikomori people on May 19. It is thought that professionals who help Hikikomori people read the guideline.

* Here's a link to MHLW's web page on the guideline *

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r98520000006i6f.html
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The guideline refers to selective mutism as "mental disorders that are strongly related to Hikikomori and their features."

According to the guideline, some children with selective mutism become Hikikomori: 'Some children who didn't speak at kindergartens or schools in early childhood such as selective mutism gradually become school refusal and then become Hikikomori. Others remain at home after graduating from high schools without determining their course.'

(To be continued)

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Selective Mutism and SNS in Japan

Many Japanese people who are interested in selective mutism also use social network services. They share information about selective mutism in SNS.

Popular SNS among them are mixi and Twitter. Facebook and Myspace are not so popular among Japanese people.

* mixi *

Mixi is the most popular social networking site among Japanese. Mixi is a Japanese website, so I guess most users are Japanese.

For more detail about Mixi, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixi

At present there are 6 communities about selective mutism on mixi. The largest community has over 260 users.

* Twitter *

Twitter is also popular among Japanese people. Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese Prime Minister, and Sadakazu Tanigaki, a party leader of Japan's largest opposition party, are also Twitter users.

Japanese people who are interested in selective mutism also use Twitter. Some of them are members of a Japanese support group for selective mutism and share information about the group activities.

* My mixi and Twitter pages *

I also use mixi and Twitter. All my posts are Japanese, not English, though. But I don't join any community on mixi. I only keep a diary on mixi to record updates of my website. I don't also communicate with people through Twitter very much. Usually I tweet to myself.

My mixi and Twitter pages are here. I'm afraid you can't access my mixi page unless you're a mixi member.

http://mixi.jp/show_friend.pl?id=8699233
http://twitter.com/nesamimus

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Facial muscles

By and large, children with selective mutism lacks facial expression in kindergarten, school, etc.. They spend hours with expressionless face every day. Some of them may overcome the disorder soon. But others may continue to be mute several years.

The problem is the latter. If they suffer from selective mutism for years and spend hours with expressionless face every day in school or kindergarten, what effect do facial muscles have?

I guess they don't use their facial muscles very much. If facial muscles aren't used very much in childhood or adolescence, what happens?

I don't know about facial muscles well.

But I guess one possibility is that it becomes more difficult for them to create facial expressions. Of course, many of them are forced to have blank facial expressions by anxiety. But if their anxiety decreases, I guess their undeveloped facial muscles may prevent them from creating facial expressions. That can influence communication. In general, the less expressive face a person shows in face-to-face contact, the less he or she can communicate successfully. They may need to train their facial muscles if they want to communicate with other people successfully.

Speaking of facial muscles, some Japanese women train their facial muscles for cosmetic purpose. It is said that people tend to look old for their age if their facial muscles are weakened. If so, do children or people with selective mutism look old ? ... I don't know.

I became a senior in high school

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Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

I became a senior in high school.

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I became a senior in high school.

My class was a looping class. My homeroom teacher was the same as before, so were almost all of my classmates. But only A, the most beautiful girl in my class, moved to other class. She was an outstanding student, so she moved to the class which is made up of excellent students.

College entrance exams were approaching within a year. As a college oriented class, teachers assigned us more homework. In addition to school homework, we students did our own studies to pass the entrance exams. We needed to study harder.

Therefore, my interest in overcoming selective mutism became less and less.

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At that time, the relationship between M and I changed dramatically. But I won't even go into detail. I'll let you imagine the rest.

* M was my female classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me.

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When we became a senior, our English grammar teacher changed. He was a strict teacher. He had a stern look on his face. But he was lenient only with me. I guess that's probably because he thought I was obedient and serious student. In Japan, if a mute and quite student like me study hard and get high marks in tests, he or she are more likely to be regarded as an obedient and serious student.

Another possibility is he thought that he should not take strict attitude toward me, because I was so shy. I guess he thought that I'll be too daunted if he was strict with me.

Like him, there were many strict teachers in my school, but no one took strict attitude almost only toward me. I was fearful of them.

(To be continued)

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