Jobs, Sex, Love and Lifestyle: When Nonstutterers Assume the Roles of Stutterers (original) (raw)
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The impact of stuttering on adults who stutter and their partners
Journal of Fluency Disorders, 2013
This study explored the impact of the stuttering disorder on perceived quality of life, with emphasis on the individual's relationship with their partner or spouse. Specifically, the purposes were: (a) to investigate what personal experiences and themes exist for both members of a couple dyad when one member of the couple stutters and (b) to examine whether the partners have different experiences with respect to the impact of stuttering on their lives. A mixed method research design was used. Participant dyads (adults who stutter and their fluent life partner) each completed one semi-structured qualitative interview and two questionnaires: the Overall Assessment of Speakers' Experience of Stuttering (OASES), and the Medical Short Form 36 (SF-36). Interviews were analysed qualitatively and significant themes evaluated. Quantitative results of the OASES and SF-36 were analysed, and scores correlated to determine the strength of any clinically significant relationships. Results indicated that people who stutter and their fluent partners reported similar experiences in reactions to stuttering and perceived difficulties in communication. However, no relationship was seen between the two groups in perceived impact on quality of life. Qualitative results indicated that the participants shared life experiences including reactions to stuttering, treatment undertaken and support. Such findings lend support to a broad-based clinical program for adults who stutter that includes the fluent partner as an agent of change in their treatment. Findings also support the utilisation of qualitative and quantitative research techniques to elucidate relevant psychosocial life themes and experiences for those who live with a stutter.
Journal of Fluency Disorders
This study aims to examine the association between adults' experience of stuttering and their age, gender and marital status, as well as to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the OASES-A. Methods: The Hebrew version of the OASES-A was administered to 91 adults-who-stutter. The validity of the translated version was evaluated using a subset of 43 participants, who also completed three additional instruments: (a) a Perceived Stuttering Severity (PSS) self-rating scale, (b) the Situation Avoidance Behavior Checklist (SABC), (c) the Students Life Satisfaction scale (SLSS). Finally, the correlations between the participants' OASES-A scores and their age, gender and marital status were calculated. Results: A negative correlation was found between the participants' OASES-A impact scores and their age (p < 0.01). In addition, married participants exhibited lower OASES-A impact scores compared with unmarried participants (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the speakers' gender was not associated with OASES-A impact scores. Results: revealed high internal consistency of the Hebrew OASES-A, and moderate to strong correlations with the additional examined instruments. Finally, results of the Hebrew version of the questionnaire were comparable with those obtained in other languages. Conclusion: Our results indicated that, within our cohort, age and marital status are significantly associated with the personal experience of stuttering, whereas gender is not. In addition, the Hebrew version of the OASES-A is valid and comparable with equivalent versions in other languages. This facilitates the application of the OASES-A in future clinical and research settings. 1. Introduction Stuttering is considered a multidimensional disorder, with depth and magnitude far beyond the overt speech symptoms. This perspective was illustrated decades ago by Sheehan's iceberg analogy (1958), and it is still accepted theoretically and clinically (e.g., Yairi & Seery, 2014). Hence, it is agreed that measurements of overt stuttering do not necessarily represent the impact of the overall stuttering disorder on individual people who stutter (PWS) (Yairi & Seery, 2011). For example, some PWS exhibit mild overt stuttering, yet perceive it as a profound and disturbing experience. This may be manifested in fear of specific words, general behaviors of social/communicational avoidance, feelings of loss-of-control, anxiety, and excessive effort associated with speech and communication (Ingham & Cordes, 1997; Riley, Riley, & Maguire, 2004; Yairi & Seery, 2011). In contrast, other PWS may exhibit more severe overt stuttering, but perceive it as a mild condition. This may be attributed, for example, to mild emotional responses or to the lack of significant social difficulties (Yairi & Seery, 2011). This demonstrates that the experiential nature of stuttering (e.g.,
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2003
Szrmmary.-Research suggccrs that many people hold pervasive negative stereotypes towards persons who brurter and that to date, success in changing these attitudes has been limited. However, few studies have selected people who had not had direct contact with a person who stutters or employed a true randomized and stratified selection of people from the community to assess attitudes towards stuttering. T o assess stereotypes, a randomized and stratified investigation was conducted by telephone interview to assess the type of stereotypes 502 people from households in the state of New South Wales, Australia have about stuttering. Consenting persons were given a brief introduction to the research and a description of stuttering. Then they were asked if they or any person living in their household stuttered or whether they knew or had ever met any one who stuttered If answers were no, they were asked to participate. If they answered yes to either quesrlon they were thanked and not asked to participate. Analysis showed that a large number beheve persons who stutter are shy, seE-conscious, anxious people who lack confidence. In contrast, many also believe they would not be embarrassed talking to someone who stutters, that they have average or above aver.lgc ~n r e l l~~c n c e , and are capable of holding responsible work-related positions. W h~l e t h~s rese~rcll yields a mixture of negative and positive community stereotypes, a significant portion of society continue to show little knowledge of the causes of the disorder.
Journal of Fluency Disorders, 2012
The aim of the present paper is to investigate the relationships between attitudinal variables in teachers. These variables are teachers' attitudes towards work and typological tendencies of personality which are dominant attitudes. Results indicated that typological dimensions significant correlate with attitudes towards work. Also, differences in attitudes towards work depending on the intensity of typological characteristics. The implications of the findings and the limitations of the study have been discussed.
Impact of Stuttering on Communication Attitude Among Adults Who Stutter and their Life Partner
2019
This study investigates the extent to which the fluent life partners (LPs) of persons who stutter (PWS) understand the effect stuttering has on their partner who stutters' communication attitude. This was accomplished by administering the Communication Attitude Test for Adults Who Stutter (BigCAT; Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 2018), a subtest of the Behavior Assessment Battery (BAB; Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 2018). The BigCAT was administered to 33 PWS and a modified version was administered to their LPs via Qualtrics, an online survey software system. Between-group total score comparison revealed no significant difference in total scores, and a low-medium score correlation was evidenced. Within both groups, participants age and gender did not have a significant effect on total scores. The perception of stuttering severity was found to significantly influence BigCAT scores within each group. No differential effect of duration of relationship on score agreement was found to exist. A high Cronbach Alpha coefficient was obtained for both test forms. Between-group item score comparison revealed that only answers on two out of the 34 items differed significantly. They were related to frequency of speech disruption and avoidance of persons, places or situations. Item 24 had a perfect correlation between the two groups and relates to common behaviors PWS exhibit in trying to attain more fluency. Overall, the findings of this study show that LPs of PWS have a general understanding of the impact stuttering has on their partner who stutters' communication attitude. iv To people who stutter, their loved ones, friends and advocates v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Let it be known-I am a person who stutters. Stuttering is very personal to me. This thesis is a testament to my self-actualization. It has allowed me to grow, given me a voice, and further ignited my curiosity to learn more about the disorder. Most importantly, it allotted me the opportunity to add to the body of knowledge which intends to help us further understand and treat stuttering. This has given me a sense of meaning and purpose. To my thesis advisor, Dr. Martine Vanryckeghem-words cannot express my gratitude for the time you have sacrificed to guide me through this process. Every draft edited, suggestions made and inferences drawn have come with a series of invaluable lessons. Your high expectations, keenness to detail, commitment to the research process and the example you set daily have made me strive to be the best I can be. We share a fascination of all things stuttering. Our discussions I enjoy most. To Dr. Jacqueline Towson and Mrs. Melissa Hamilton-thank you for serving on my thesis committee, for your unwavering support and advice. To Athanasia Svenning-thank you for allowing me to join you in the overarching investigation this thesis relates to, and which you so brilliantly thought up and initiated. Your friendship and willingness to help every step of the way has been relentless. To Dr. Charlotte Harvey-the first person to truly convince me that I am capable of great things. Thank you for your constant mentorship, friendship and for caring of my well-being. Finally, to Jason and Frank Panzarino-my family and my biggest supporters. With love, always. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………………. vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS……………………………………………………………… viii
Journal of Fluency Disorders, 2004
The purpose of the study was to investigate the life experiences of a group of South African adults who stutter and the impact of stuttering on their quality of life. Participants were 16 adults with a mean age of 28.9 and ranging from 20 to 59 years. Methods involved individual interviews designed to explore the life domains of education; social life; employment; speech therapy; family and marital life; and identity, beliefs and emotional issues. Main findings of the study indicated that the majority of participants perceived their stuttering to have impacted on their academic performance at school, and relationships with teachers and classmates. Although their stuttering was not perceived to adversely influence their ability to establish friendships, people generally reacted negatively to their stuttering. Many felt that their stuttering did not have an adverse effect on their choice of occupation, ability to obtain work, and relationships with managers and co-workers, although it was perceived to influence their work performance and hamper their chances for promotion. Although the majority viewed their speech therapy experiences as being negative; more than half the sample believed that speech therapy had, nevertheless exerted a positive effect on their quality of life. Overall, stuttering did not appear to have influenced participants' family and marital life. Most participants felt that stuttering had affected their self-esteem and self-image, and had evoked strong emotions within them. Findings are taken to suggest the need to incorporate subjective feelings about stuttering into the clinical practice of speech-language therapy; to provide information and coping strategies for teachers and employers; and for further research.
Communication Sciences & Disorders
and Technology for their cooperation in allowing this study on campus. Objectives: The current study explored the attitudes of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) toward stuttering and people who stutter (PWS). Methods: All students in the CSD program from each year level at JUST were invited to participate in the current study. A translated Arabic version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S), a standard instrument, was used to compare stuttering attitudes from the four classes and also to compare them to attitudes of similar students and the general population from different countries on the POSHA-S database. Results: Data collected from the CSD students at JUST did not reflect any significant change in students' overall attitudes toward stuttering as they progressed from the 1st through the 4th year. However, they exhibited more positive attitudes than the public in Jordan. Compared to the POSHA-S database, Jordanian attitudes were somewhat less positive than most SLP students sampled in other regions. Conclusion: The current study revealed that students of CSD in Jordan hold less positive attitudes toward stuttering and PWS compared to people from other countries in the same region. Findings are discussed relevant to the literature on attitudes toward stuttering and PWS.
Stuttering related and psychosocial predictors of impact of stuttering
Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association
Objective: To investigate the psychosocial factors having an impact on persons with a stuttering problem. Methods: The correlation study was conducted from October 2016 to February 2018 at hospitals, speech clinics and educational institutes of Lahore. The sample was comprised of young adults aged 16-30 years of either gender with development stuttering problem. Data was collected using Stuttering Severity Instrument-4, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale-Urdu, Big Five Measure-20, Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering and the Urdu version of the shortened form of the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 78 subjects, 66(84.6 %) were males and 12 (15.4 %) were females. There were 21(27%) subjects aged 16-19 years and 57(73%) with age range of 20 - 30 years. The overall mean age was 21.96 ± 3.89 years. Mean age of onset was 4.59 ± 1.29 years, while gradual onset and progressive stuttering was report...
The impact of stuttering on the quality of life in adults who stutter
Journal of Fluency Disorders, 2009
Stuttering is an involuntary fluency disorder that is not uncommon in society. However, the impact of stuttering on a composite measure such as quality of life has rarely been estimated. Quality of life (QOL) assesses the well-being of a person from a multidimensional perspective, and valid and reliable general QOL measures are available that can be used to estimate the impact of stuttering on QOL. This study involved the use of a general measure of QOL called the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) in order to assess the impact of stuttering in 200 adults who stutter (AWS). Comparisons to 200 adults of similar age and sex ratio who do not stutter were made so that the unique contribution of stuttering on QOL could be estimated. Findings indicated that stuttering does negatively impact QOL in the vitality, social functioning, emotional functioning and mental health status domains. Results also tentatively suggest that people who stutter with increased levels of severity may have a higher risk of poor emotional functioning. These findings have implications for treatment such as the necessity to address the emotional and psychological aspects of QOL in AWS and the need for additional clinical resources to be invested in stuttering treatment.