Research indicates that stuttering inherently affects an individual’s communication in social situations, yet no studies appear to have been done on the effect of environment on stuttering therapy. This study sought to investigate the effect of treatment environment on speech fluency and approach to communication behaviors of the adult who stutters. The three participants were adults with persistent developmental stuttering and an interest in improving their communication. An alternating treatment design was used to measure the effect of a traditional clinic environment as compared to community environments. Results indicated that the treatment was effective in reducing situational anxiety associated with stuttering in participants 1 and 2, but not for participant 3. The treatment package also produced positive benefits on multiple outcomes associated with approach to communication. Findings were mixed regarding which treatment setting was the most effective for adults who stutter.
Keywords: persistent developmental stuttering, anxiety, agency, psychosocial
