Several studies have been conducted on the prevalence of selective mutism. However, the subjects and methods di er between these studies, and no uni ed perspective has been achieved. e purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic investigation by school type and grade level of children with selective mutism enrolled in kindergarten, elementary school, and lower secondary school in Japan and to evaluate the prevalence of selective mutism. e overall enrollment rate for children with selective mutism, in a total of 73 public kindergartens and elementary and lower secondary schools was found to be 0.21%, with more female than male students (male-tofemale ratio=1 : 2.1). e enrollment rate by school type was the highest for kindergarten (0.66%) and slightly decreased for the higher stages of education. e percentage of schools where any children with selective mutism were enrolled (called the school enrollment rate) was 39.7% for all schools and gradually increased from kindergarten to lower secondary school (at 46.7%). In this study, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fi h Edition diagnostic criteria for selective mutism were employed, and schoolteachers determined selective mutism based on the criteria. e school enrollment rate obtained in this study supports the results of other studies and provides new insights into selective mutism. e limitations of this study include an insucient number of samples and a failure to ensure adequate interpretive skill on the part of the respondents.

In the present case study, ball-throwing skills were taught to a boy with Asperger's disorder, and secondary benefits for him from that experience were examined. The teaching program was based on applied behavior analysis. After a task analysis that divided overhand ball-throwing behavior into 10 behavior units, training utilized visual stimulus prompts and a chaining procedure, in a changing criterion design. The results showed that, although it took some time to achieve, all the behavior items were learned, so that the boy acquired skills necessary for ball throwing, The present study cenfirms the effectiveness of prompts using picture cards and behavioral coaching. It was diflicult to maintain the boy's motivatien for the prolonged training, although verbal interaction may be effbctive to increase motivation. Sccondary effects observed included increased social intcraction and a more proactive attitude towards exercise, behaviors that wcre net goals of the teaching program. Such eflects may indicate potential benefits of the acquisitien of sports skills as one component of leisure activities of children with deveiopmental disorders.

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Recent publications have pointed out the importance of assessing the preferences of individuals with severe to profound intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorders, and the effectiveness of using those preferences when doing interventions. Although many studies conducted outside of Japan have examined preference assessment procedures and intervention programs that are based on preferences, few such studies have been done in Japan. The present article presents an overview of published studies on procedures for assessing preferences, and reviews and discusses practical research articles published from 2011 to 2015 in Japan that dealt with interventions for people with severe to profound intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorders. In general, few practical studies have described procedures for systematically assessing preferences or explained how to incorporate the outcome of such assessments into intervention programs. The discussion suggests that in order to expand the use of the assessment of preferences for support plans for individuals with several to profound intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorders in Japan, methodological improvements are needed in the assessment of preferences and the provision of information to support staff in practical fıelds such as schools and support agencies.