Replacement of Stuttering with Normal Speech: III. Clinical Effectiveness

Abstract

Two forms of behavioral management of stuttering were tested for effectiveness, efficiency, and permanence. The emphasis with 27 clients in Method 1 was on control of rate to maintain fluency. The emphasis with 17 clients in Method 2 was on control of rate to facilitate normal management of the breathstream, phrasing, and prosody, as well as fluency. Stuttering was reduced for all clients with both methods. Ninety-two percent of Group 1 (Method 1) and all of Group 2 (Method 2) retained some improvement six months after treatment. Seventy percent of both groups had reduced their stuttering by 85% or more at the termination of treatment. Six months later, only 30% of Group 1 retained that level of improvement, in contrast with 53% of Group 2. Coupling an 85% reduction in stuttering with a criterion for normal (225+ syllables per minute), only 44% of Group 1, as compared with 65% of Group 2, achieved normal speech during treatment. Listeners judged Group 1 as being slower and less expressive than normal speakers but not different in fluency. Group 2 was judged as more fluent but otherwise no different from normals.