Subtle Characters

In my PhD project I am addressing the question of how designing artefacts, particularly typography, used in the therapy of young adults with selective mutism (SM) can help to create a safe space that builds confidence in self, language and expression. The question is elaborated between German sociolinguistics and health care design.

Psychologically classified as situational anxiety disorder of communication with its onset in childhood, SM affects greater than 1 in 2400 young adults and can lead to complete social isolation. A person with SM is able to speak in one situation but unable to speak in another. Psychologists are suggesting an impairment of language processing in children who have not become acquainted with language as a means of communicating conflicts. Very simplified a loss of trust in language that affects due to the lack of socialising and communication also the building of a self, an identity. Many SM sufferers use different methods like notation software to communicate with their surroundings and find it hard to express or to disclose their emotions and their thoughts even in written form.

With my research I am working on how to regain trust in language with the help of health care design artefacts.