An Exploration of Anticipation of Stuttering in Adults

Objective: The experience of stuttering is more complex than its observable behaviors, and in order for a person who stutters (PWS) to truly experience fluent speech the complete experience of stuttering must be removed. This study investigates the effects of various speaking conditions on one aspect of the experience of stutteringanticipation of stuttering. Methods: Ten adult stutterers were asked to read three passages under three reading conditions: normal reading, choral speech, and extremely prolonged speech. Participants made pre anticipatory evaluations assuming normal reading and post anticipatory evaluations assuming reading under a recently performed condition. A Friedman test was utilized to determine the presence of a difference between reading conditions for both dependent variables–stuttering occurrences and changes in anticipation of stuttering. These differences were then examined using a non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. Results: Results from the Friedman tests indicated significant differences between stuttering occurrences and differences in pre and post anticipated events of stuttering at all common significant levels. The non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests revealed significant differences in stuttering occurrences between choral speech and normal reading (p=0.008) and extremely prolonged speech and normal reading (p=0.008). The Wilcoxon also revealed significant differences in anticipation of stuttering between choral speech and normal reading (p=0.005) and extremely prolonged speech and normal reading (p=0.005). Conclusion: This study informs us that for some PWS, anticipation of stuttering events are eliminated while speaking with extremely prolonged speech and/or choral speech. The importance of this finding is the beginning of understanding the difference between perceivably fluent speech (remaining under the control of stuttering) and fluent speech that more closely approximates that of a typical speaker.