Male versus female attitudes toward stuttering

Explicit and implicit cognitive processes of the public towards people who stutter

PURPOSE

The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes - Stuttering (POSHA-S, St. Louis, 2013) was developed as a standard measure of public attitudes about people who stutter. As with any survey-based methods, threats to validity may occur because of social desirability bias. Using computer mouse-tracking, we were interested in observing changes in cognition that are manifested in intentionality through action by evaluating underlying cognitive processes that drive social judgments of people who stutter.

METHODS

Twenty-two women, 1 non-binary person, and 47 men reported using a computer mouse to complete an online, remote, and modified version of the POSHA-S. Responses were categorized as correct/helpful or incorrect/unhelpful relative to each component of the POSHA-S and were used as measures of explicit cognitive processes. Computer-mouse trajectory metrics, including area under the curve (AUC) and reaction time (RT), were used to measure implicit cognitive processes.

RESULTS

Although participants' explicit responses were significantly more likely to be correct/helpful than incorrect/unhelpful, with endorsement of correct/helpful prompts 77 % of the time, participants also endorsed incorrect/unhelpful prompts more than half (i.e., 52 %) of the time. Familiarity with people who stutter was associated with disagreeing with incorrect/unhelpful prompts. As indicated by greater AUC, participants exhibited significantly more implicit cognitive processes indicating competition when responding "disagree" compared to "agree", regardless of whether the prompts were correct/helpful or incorrect/unhelpful. Similarly, participants took significantly longer to respond to prompts with "disagree" rather than "agree".

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study offer evidence of participants reporting cognitive processes that are overall more correct/helpful than incorrect/unhelpful, in their explicit responses to the dichotomous response tasks of the POSHA-S. However, these findings are tempered by evidence of a tendency to agree with statements in the measure and suggest the need for further research to increase understanding of how to measure and improve explicit and implicit cognitive processes related to people who stutter.

Awareness and Knowledge of Stuttering among Malaysian School-Aged Children: An Exploratory Study

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge and awareness of stuttering are closely associated with attitudes toward stuttering. Few studies have been conducted on the knowledge and awareness of school-aged children, and none have been conducted in Malaysia. This study aimed to: (a) determine knowledge and awareness of stuttering among Malaysian school-aged children, and (b) determine whether there are differences between age group, gender, and people who stutter (PWS) exposure groups.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 192 Malay school-aged children (mean age = 9.47, SD = 1.781) recruited via email and social media platforms. They completed a Malay version of the questionnaire devised by van Borsel et al. (1999) on various aspects of stuttering, including prevalence, onset, gender distribution, occurrence in different cultures, cause, treatment, intelligence, and heredity of stuttering. The χ2 test of independence was performed to compare the distributions of survey responses by age group, gender, and PWS exposure group.

RESULTS

Around half of the school-aged children had met a person who stutters, but certain aspects of their knowledge were limited. Knowledge also differed according to age and gender. Girls were more knowledgeable about stuttering than boys. Regarding stuttering treatment, younger children had more positive attitudes than older children. Participants who did not know a PWS were more likely to consult their family doctor rather than a speech-language pathologist in relation to stuttering.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge and awareness of stuttering among Malaysian school-aged children were limited. Findings of this study could be used to develop a stuttering awareness program specific to children to increase their knowledge and awareness about stuttering.

Mothers' and fathers' attitudes toward stuttering in the Middle East compared to Europe and North America

BACKGROUND

Parents play a central role in the treatment of childhood stuttering. Addressing parental attitudes toward stuttering is helpful therapeutically. The extent to which differences in attitudes toward stuttering exist on the basis of sex, geographical region and parental status (e.g., parent of a stuttering child, parent of a nonstuttering child, nonparent) is unclear. Many studies investigating such factors have used the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) questionnaire. A large POSHA-S database has collected responses from over 20 000 people from 49 countries.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to use the POSHA-S database to examine the extent to which the following variables influence attitudes toward stuttering: (a) parents' sex (mothers vs. fathers), (b) geographic region (Middle East vs. Europe and North America), (c) parents' children (stuttering vs. nonstuttering) and (d) parental status (parents versus nonparents).

METHODS & PROCEDURES

Data used in this study were extracted from selected, relevant studies that administered the POSHA-S to respondents. The Overall Stuttering Scores were compared on the basis of sex and parent status (i.e., mothers and fathers; nonparent women and men) and were then compared within and across the two geographical areas. Group comparisons were performed using analysis of variance followed by independent t tests, and Cohen's d was calculated to determine effect sizes.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

Statistically significant differences were observed upon the basis of geographical region. In general, male parents and nonparents tend to have more positive stuttering attitudes among the Middle Eastern samples while female parents and nonparents tend to show more positive attitudes in European and North American samples in the POSHA-S database. Effect sizes were small for all comparisons.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

The effect of geographic region and culture may predict sex-based differences among mothers' and fathers' attitudes toward stuttering; however, the clinical significance is unclear. Additional research is needed to better understand how children who stutter are affected by their parents' attitudes toward stuttering.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject The research clearly indicates that attitudes toward stuttering vary according to geographical region. Less clear is whether mothers and fathers from geographically diverse backgrounds hold different attitudes toward stuttering and the extent to which parental status (being a parent, parent of a child who stutters or nonparent) affects attitudes toward stuttering. What this study adds This study's findings confirm that geographical differences do influence attitudes toward stuttering. Male parents and nonparents tend to have equal or more positive attitudes toward stuttering in Middle Eastern samples, whereas non-Middle Eastern female parents and nonparents tend to show hold more positive attitudes. What are the clinical implications of this work? In addition to being culturally sensitive when working with parents of children who stutter, clinicians should also consider that mothers and fathers may have some differences in attitudes and behaviours toward their child's stuttering. These differences should be considered when designing treatment plans. It should also be noted that, despite statistical significance, the effect sizes in this study were low, suggesting that further research as well as close collaboration with parents of children who stutter is warranted.

Public attitudes toward stuttering in Malaysia

PURPOSE

This study aims to: (a) measure public attitudes toward stuttering in Malaysia using the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attitudes-Stuttering [POSHA-S], (b) determine how reported attitudes and knowledge related to stuttering compare to existing data, and (c) determine whether there are differences between groups for identified variables.

METHOD

A total of 250 adults (mean age = 29 years; range = 19-60 years) completed the POSHA-S in English. We compared this sample's attitudes toward stuttering to POSHA-S data from other global samples. General linear modeling examined differences in overall stuttering score, beliefs, and self reaction subscores for demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, parenting, education, employment status, prior exposure to a person who stutters, multilingual, race, and religion.

RESULTS

The Malaysian participants' overall stuttering score and the beliefs and self reactions subscores were all considerably lower (i.e., less positive) than the other samples around the world from the POSHA-S database median values. Being male, receiving a higher education, and knowing someone who stutters were linked to having more positive self reactions, but none of those factors was linked to positive or negative beliefs. Those who had previously been exposed to stuttering scored significantly higher than those who had not.

CONCLUSION

Malaysians may have less positive attitudes toward stuttering than Westerners. More needs to be done to make society more accepting of people who stutter. Future research should aim to find ways to educate and to raise public awareness about stuttering.

Australian attitudes towards stuttering: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Negative reactions experienced by people who stutter often stem from unfounded attitudes and beliefs in the community.

PURPOSE

There is a need to better understand current public attitudes towards stuttering in Australia. The purpose of this study was to: (a) explore the attitudes and knowledge of a large sample of the Australian public using the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attitudes-Stuttering [POSHA-S], (b) identify how the reported attitudes towards, and knowledge of, stuttering compare to existing data, and (c) identify differences between groups for variables identified.

METHODS

A cross-sectional population study using the POSHA-S was conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Comparisons of the attitudes towards stuttering of this sample were made with data from other worldwide samples on the POSHA-S database. The influence on attitudes to stuttering of variables including age, gender, education level, country of birth, employment status and number of languages spoken was explored.

RESULTS

The Overall Stuttering Score (OSS) of the Australian sample was higher than the median score on the POSHA-S database. This suggests that the Australian public holds more positive attitudes than those other countries represented in the database. Being younger, more educated, employed, female, monolingual, born in Australia and not familiar with people who stutter were related to more positive attitudes for this sample. Some negative stereotypes towards stuttering were noted; people who stutter were identified as 'shy and fearful', and 'nervous and excitable'.

CONCLUSIONS

While the Australian public has generally positive attitudes towards stuttering, these attitudes still reflect some 'stuttering stereotypes'.

Cultural difference in attitudes towards stuttering among British, Arab and Chinese students: Considering home and host cultures

BACKGROUND

Geographical and cultural differences have been shown to affect public attitudes towards stuttering. However, increasingly for many individuals in the world one's birthplace culture (or home culture) and culture in their local geographical environment (or host culture) are not the same.

AIMS

The effects of home culture and host culture in shaping the attitudes towards stuttering among students with British, Arab and Chinese home cultures attending one British university were explored. The effects of host culture were investigated by considering the time lived in the UK for Arab and Chinese students.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

The study used a descriptive survey design that included a standardized self-delivered questionnaire: the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S). Purposive sampling was carried out thorough volunteer mailing lists, student societies and personal contact. The final sample of 156 university students included 51 British, 52 Arab and 53 Chinese students.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

Overall stuttering score (OSS), which is indicative of attitudes towards stuttering, was highest for British participants (mean = 30) and lowest for Chinese participants (mean = 13), with Arab participants falling in the middle (mean = 21). The differences in attitudes between the three groups were statistically significant, suggesting that home culture is a contributor to attitudes towards stuttering. A post-hoc item analysis of the POSHA-S revealed numerous specific differences in attitudes towards stuttering between the three groups, including differences in the attribution of the aetiology of stuttering, their role in helping people who stutter (PWS) and sympathy toward PWS. Time lived in the UK-a proxy measure for the role of host culture-did not significantly influence the attitudes of Arab and Chinese respondents.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

To varying degrees, all three groups had evidence of stereotypical stuttering attitudes. Nevertheless, given similar ages and student status in the same university, observed respondent differences confirm previous research documenting geographical influences on stuttering attitudes in Western versus East Asian and Middle Eastern samples. The study also provides evidence that home culture was influential in shaping attitudes towards stuttering, but host culture was not a significant contributor. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject Public stereotypical beliefs towards stuttering are found across the world and hinder the quality of life among PWS. Different cultures have unique stereotypical beliefs towards PWS. What this study adds to existing knowledge To the best of our knowledge, no other study has investigated specifically if individuals who live in the same geographical location but have different home cultures, have similar or differing attitudes towards PWS. Results provide preliminary evidence that the home culture of an individual was influential in shaping attitudes towards PWS, but host culture, measured as the length of time living in the current geographical location, did not have a significant relationship with attitudes towards stuttering. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work This study highlights that culturally sensitive clinical practice should not be based on just the culture of the region but should take home culture into consideration as well, and clinicians should discuss cultural perceptions of stuttering with clients in clinical practice.

Comparing and Predicting Public Attitudes Toward Stuttering, Obesity, and Mental Illness

Purpose Extensive research on public attitudes has documented stigma toward stuttering, obesity, and mental illness; however, most studies have focused on only one of these conditions. This study sought to compare public attitudes toward stuttering, obesity, and mental illness as well as to identify the predictive potential of four ratings relating to these and other neutral or desirable conditions. Method Five hundred respondents who were selected from each of three international databases filled out the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes (POSHA) for stuttering, obesity, or mental illness. The POSHA surveys were as similar as possible, and all contained four general items asking respondents' "impression" of the attribute, extent to which he or she "wants to be/have" that attribute, "amount known" about the attribute, and "persons known" who manifest the attribute, for stuttering, obesity, and mental illness plus two others, namely, left-handedness and intelligence. The POSHA surveys also had the same summary scores, Beliefs, Self-Reactions, and an Overall Score. Results Summary scores for the three POSHA surveys in the 500-respondent samples revealed negative attitudes toward all three conditions, the most positive being toward obesity, followed by stuttering and then by mental illness. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that various general items had significant prediction potential not only of attitudes for the same condition but also of attitudes for other conditions. The greatest other condition predictions were between stuttering and mental illness. Conclusions Stuttering is regarded as less stigmatizing than mental illness but more stigmatizing than obesity. Additionally, positivity toward one condition results in limited positivity toward the others. Impressions and knowledge of-as well as experience with-stigmatized conditions can inform public awareness campaigns and individual clinical programs dealing with stigma. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12860939.

Success in changing stuttering attitudes: A retrospective analysis of 29 intervention studies

BACKGROUND

Against the backdrop of hundreds of studies documenting negative stereotypes and stigma held by the public regarding people who stutter, a substantial number of investigations have attempted to improve public attitudes and measure their results with a standard instrument, the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S). Although the majority of interventions have been moderately to quite successful, a substantial minority have been unsuccessful.

PURPOSE

This study sought to determine what properties of interventions and demographic variables were predictive of least to most successful interventions. Preliminary to that, however, it required the division of samples into clearly differentiated categories of success.

METHOD

Twenty-nine different study samples containing 934 participants were categorized into four levels of success of interventions according to pre versus post POSHA-S summary mean ratings. Intervention properties and demographic characteristics and for each success category were analyzed for their predictive potential of successful attitude improvement.

RESULTS

Interventions characterized by high interest or involvement, meaningful material, and content that respondents found to be relevant, but not excessive, tended to be associated with more successful interventions. In contrast, demographic variables were weak predictors of intervention success.

CONCLUSION

The authors hypothesize that maximally effective interventions reflect optimal matches between participant characteristics and intervention features, although the critical variables in each are not yet apparent.

Comparing stuttering attitudes of preschool through 5th grade children and their parents in a predominately rural Appalachian sample

BACKGROUND

Theories relating to young children's social cognitive maturity and their prevailing social groups play important roles in the acquisition of attitudes. Previous research has shown that preschool and kindergarten children's stuttering attitudes are characterized by stronger negative beliefs and self reactions than those of parents. By contrast, 12 year-old children's stuttering attitudes have been shown to be similar to their parents' attitudes. Other research indicates that parental stuttering attitudes are no different from attitudes of adults who are not parents.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore children's stuttering attitudes of preschool through 5th grade children and to compare them to their parents' attitudes.

METHOD

Children and parents from a rural Appalachian elementary school and child/parent pairs from other areas in the region responded to child and adult versions of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S/Child and POSHA-S). Seven grade levels were included: preschool, kindergarten, 1^st grade, 2^nd grade, 3^rd grade, 4^th grade, and 5^th grade.

RESULTS

Confirming earlier research, younger children's attitudes toward stuttering were considerably less positive than those of their parents. As children matured up to the fifth grade, however, their stuttering attitudes progressively were more positive. Parents' stuttering attitudes were quite consistent across all seven grade levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with theories of attitudinal development, between the ages of 4 and 11 years, children's measured attitudes toward stuttering improved and gradually approximated the attitudes of their parents and the general public.

Improving Polish Stuttering Attitudes: An Experimental Study of Teachers and University Students

PURPOSE

This quasi-experimental design study in Poland evaluated the effects of a course on stuttering for university students and the effects of an educational workshop for public school teachers, both interventions designed to improve attitudes toward stuttering.

METHOD

Participants (132 in-service teachers and 75 university students) completed the Polish version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (St. Louis, 2011) twice, before and after 2 interventions for experimental groups and 3 months apart for control groups. Experimental teachers participated in a 2-hr workshop dedicated to stuttering. Experimental students enrolled in a 1-semester course wherein multiple activities (including the teacher workshop) were included to generate a comprehensive understanding of stuttering. None of the participants in either control group participated in the academic course for students or workshop for teachers.

RESULTS

Preintervention comparisons for teachers and for students confirmed that participants assigned to either experimental or control groups did not differ significantly on their attitudes toward stuttering. For both experimental teachers and students, the interventions resulted in significant positive changes in stuttering attitudes. Neither control group changed.

CONCLUSIONS

This experimental study demonstrated that it is possible to positively modify stuttering attitudes of teachers as well as university students. It has implications for the length, content, and experiential components of interventions designed to improve public attitudes toward stuttering.

Effect of control samples and listener attributes on speech naturalness ratings of people who stutter

PURPOSE

Speech restructuring treatment can effectively reduce stuttering but the resultant speech may sound unnatural. Martin et al. (1984) speech naturalness scale is widely used by clinicians and researchers, yet little is known about whether including normally fluent speech samples alters the judgement of the naturalness of speech samples of people who stutter, and whether attributes of listeners - specifically training and sex - influence ratings.

METHODS

In this study 20 untrained listeners (male and female) and 19 speech language pathology students (female only) rated either the naturalness of 21 speech samples from adults who stutter obtained post-treatment, or the same 21 post-treatment samples randomly mixed with samples of 21 samples from normally fluent speakers matched for age and sex. The independent variables were sample composition (addition of fluent controls) and listener training. The dependent variable was listener naturalness rating.

RESULTS

A two-factor ANOVA with listener training and sample composition as independent variables and naturalness ratings as the dependent variable was performed. Untrained listeners rated samples as significantly less natural than trained listeners. The addition of control samples did not significantly impact scores assigned to post-treatment samples. A comparison of male and female listeners was completed using the Mann Whitney U Test. A significant group difference was observed with female listeners rating the samples more leniently (more natural) than male listeners.

CONCLUSION

Based on this preliminary research, the addition of controls does not appear necessary in evaluating speech naturalness, however the composition of the listener group may affect results.

Personal Perceptions and Perceived Public Opinion About Stuttering in the United States: Implications for Anti-Stigma Campaigns

PURPOSE

This exploratory study was the first to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on both personal perceptions and perceived public opinion about stuttering in order to identify topics to include in anti-stigma programs for stuttering.

METHOD

Three-hundred ten adults in the United States completed a web survey that assessed knowledge about stuttering and attitudes toward people who stutter (PWS) with questions addressing personal perceptions (direct questions) and perceived public opinion (indirect questions).

RESULTS

Many participants reported favorable personal perceptions of PWS regarding their intelligence, competence, and potential for success. However, most participants did not personally believe PWS were confident, and most believed they were shy. Perceived public opinion was more unfavorable as a majority agreed that the public is uncomfortable talking with PWS and that the public would recommend PWS avoid jobs requiring high speech demands and avoid talking to large audiences. A minority of participants agreed PWS are perceived publicly as capable or mentally healthy.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey demonstrated misunderstandings and negative perceptions of PWS, especially when measured with perceived public opinion. Results can increase our understanding of content areas that should be included in anti-stigma programs for stuttering and highlight different methods for analyzing public perceptions of stuttering.

A country-wide probability sample of public attitudes toward stuttering in Portugal

BACKGROUND

Negative public attitudes toward stuttering have been widely reported, although differences among countries and regions exist. Clear reasons for these differences remain obscure.

PURPOSE

Published research is unavailable on public attitudes toward stuttering in Portugal as well as a representative sample that explores stuttering attitudes in an entire country. This study sought to (a) determine the feasibility of a country-wide probability sampling scheme to measure public stuttering attitudes in Portugal using a standard instrument (the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering [POSHA-S]) and (b) identify demographic variables that predict Portuguese attitudes.

METHODS

The POSHA-S was translated to European Portuguese through a five-step process. Thereafter, a local administrative office-based, three-stage, cluster, probability sampling scheme was carried out to obtain 311 adult respondents who filled out the questionnaire.

RESULTS

The Portuguese population held stuttering attitudes that were generally within the average range of those observed from numerous previous POSHA-S samples. Demographic variables that predicted more versus less positive stuttering attitudes were respondents' age, region of the country, years of school completed, working situation, and number of languages spoken. Non-predicting variables were respondents' sex, marital status, and parental status.

CONCLUSION

A local administrative office-based, probability sampling scheme generated a respondent profile similar to census data and indicated that Portuguese attitudes are generally typical.

The relationship between the experience of stuttering and demographic characteristics of adults who stutter

PURPOSE

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.

Reactions of protective service workers towards people who stutter

PURPOSE

This study sought to assess whether protective service workers differ from people in non-protective services occupations in their intended reactions towards people who stutter (PWS).

METHODS

Analyses were based on questionnaire responses regarding intended reactions toward PWS from 171 protective services workers and 2595 non-protective services workers in the United States. A propensity score matching procedure was used to identify a comparison group of non-protective services workers for the protective services workers. The matching covariate variables included age, gender, years of education, familiarity with PWS, and beliefs about PWS.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that protective services workers had less helpful intended behavioral reactions and more negative affective reactions towards PWS than the matched non-protective services workers. Examination of the matching covariate variables in the larger sample also indicated that protective services workers had less accurate beliefs about PWS compared to respondents not in protective services professions.

CONCLUSION

Less favorable intended reactions of protective services workers toward PWS indicate a need for protective services workers to receive training in best practices when interacting with PWS.

The impact of causal attribution on stigmatizing attitudes toward a person who stutters

PURPOSE

This study investigated the impact of providing low control (biological) and high control (psychobehavioral) causal explanations for stuttering on a variety of stigma related variables including blame, anger, social distance, stereotypes, dislike, sympathy, willingness to help, and perceptions of potential for recovery for a hypothetical person who stutters.

METHOD

One hundred and sixty-five university students read one of three vignettes describing a person who stutters with different descriptions about the cause of stuttering (low control, high control, and a control group in which no explanation was given) and answered a series of self-report measures assessing stigmatizing attitudes and perceived potential for recovery.

RESULTS

The controllable explanation for stuttering led to more blame compared to the uncontrollable explanation and no explanation. The controllable explanation resulted in higher levels of anger and stereotypes compared to no explanation. There were no significant differences between uncontrollable explanations and no explanation on any of the stigma related variables of interest. Uncontrollable explanations increased prognostic pessimism compared to controllable explanations. Self-reported familiarity and closeness with people who stutter was significantly related to more positive attitudes toward a hypothetical person who stutters.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing the belief that stuttering is ultimately caused by psychobehavioral factors will reduce blame toward people who stutter. However, providing biological explanations for stuttering is not effective for reducing stigma compared to no explanation at all, and could increase prognostic pessimism. Biological explanations for stuttering should be provided to inform clients and society about current research findings, however this information must be given carefully and be balanced with evidence that people who stutter can make great progress with appropriate, personalized therapy that addresses the multidimensionality of the disorder.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

As a result of reading this paper, readers should be able to: (1) describe how causal attributions impact attitudes toward individuals with disabilities (2) summarize the effects of providing a biological explanation for stuttering on stigmatizing attitudes toward a person who stutters (3) summarize the effects of providing a psychobehavioral explanation for stuttering on stigmatizing attitudes toward a person who stutters, (4) discuss how familiarity and closeness toward people who stutter relates to stigmatizing attitudes toward a person who stutters.

Speech pathology student clinician attitudes and beliefs towards people who stutter: A mixed-method pilot study

PURPOSE

Stuttering is a disorder of fluency that extends beyond its physical nature and has social, emotional and vocational impacts. Research shows that individuals often exhibit negative attitudes towards people who stutter; however, there is limited research on the attitudes and beliefs of speech pathology students towards people who stutter in Australia. Existing research is predominantly quantitative; whereas this mixed-method study placed an emphasis on the qualitative component. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and beliefs of final year Australian speech pathology students towards people who stutter.

METHODS

This mixed-method study applied the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes - Stuttering (POSHA-S) and semi-structured interviews to gather data from final year speech pathology students from a major university in Australia.

PRINCIPAL RESULTS

The overall qualitative findings identified that final year Australian speech pathology students exhibit positive attitudes towards people who stutter. The results also illustrated the role of education in influencing attitudes of students as well as increasing their confidence to work with people who stutter.

MAJOR CONCLUSION

This research revealed that Australian final year speech pathology students exhibit positive attitudes towards people who stutter. They displayed an understanding that people who stutter may have acquired traits such as shyness as a response to their personal situation and environment, rather than those traits being endemic to them. Results also suggested that education can play a role in creating confident student clinicians in their transition to practice, and positively influence their attitudes and beliefs.

Associations between beliefs about and reactions toward people who stutter

PURPOSE

This study sought to assess whether beliefs about people who stutter (PWS) predict intended behavioral and affective reactions toward them in a large and varied sample of respondents while taking into account familiarity with PWS and the demographic variables of age, education, and gender.

METHODS

Analyses were based on 2206 residents of the United States of America. The seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) technique was used to test the relationship between beliefs about PWS and behavioral and affective reactions toward PWS. Variables such as familiarity with PWS and demographic data were also controlled in the statistical model.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that, when demographic variables and familiarity were taken into account, the accuracy of participants' beliefs about PWS significantly predicted their intended behavioral and affective reactions toward PWS. The participants' gender and familiarity with PWS were also associated with these reactions toward PWS.

CONCLUSION

The finding of an association between beliefs and intended reactions validates attempts to improve public treatment of PWS through improving the accuracy of beliefs about PWS. Additionally, because familiarity with PWS is a significant predictor of helpful and positive reactions toward PWS, interventions involving PWS educating others through direct interpersonal interactions may be one effective way to improve public reactions toward individuals who stutter.

Reactions of teachers versus non-teachers toward people who stutter

The primary purpose of this study was to assess whether kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers differ from people in non-teaching occupations in their reactions to people who stutter (PWS). Taking differences in age and education into account, we compared reactions to PWS between 263 teachers and 1336 non-teachers in the United States based on their responses on the Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S, St. Louis, 2012). Findings indicated that teachers use a greater number and variety of information sources about PWS than the general public and that male teachers do so even more than female teachers. With regard to the other POSHA-S components, accommodating/helping, knowledge/experience, and sympathy/social distancing of PWS, teachers' responses were not significantly different from their non-teaching counterparts. Regardless of occupation, women reported reactions to PWS that are considered more accommodating and helpful to PWS than the reported reactions of men.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Readers should be able to: (1) identify the challenges that students who stutter encounter in the K-12 school setting, (2) identify recommended ways teachers can react to their students who stutter, (3) summarize findings regarding teachers' reactions to people who stutter (PWS), and (4) identify key variables that are associated with reactions to PWS.

Beliefs of teachers versus non-teachers about people who stutter

PURPOSE

Although prior research has investigated teachers' beliefs about people who stutter (PWS), this work has not indicated how these beliefs compare with those of the general public or taken into account key demographic variables that may be related to these beliefs. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate whether beliefs about PWS in teachers are different from those in the general public. The second purpose of this study was to examine whether gender is related to beliefs about PWS for teachers, who are more frequently women.

METHODS

Analyses were based on questionnaire responses regarding beliefs about PWS from 269 teachers and 1388 non-teachers in the United States. Due to their potential link to beliefs about PWS, familiarity with PWS and sociodemographic variables were included in the statistical model for this study.

RESULTS

Teachers' beliefs about PWS are no different than those of people in non-teaching professions. Findings also indicated that, regardless of whether respondents were teachers, women had more accurate beliefs about PWS than men. The statistical model tested indicated that beliefs about PWS were more accurate when the respondents were older, had more education, and had familiarity with a PWS.

CONCLUSION

In the first study to compare teachers' beliefs about PWS to the general public, findings indicated that teachers are no more accurate than the public in their beliefs about PWS. Associations found between these beliefs and several variables may indicate some promising mechanisms for improving beliefs, such as increased familiarity with individuals who stutter.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

Readers should be able to: (a) describe stuttering's potential effects on children's participation in the school setting; (b) identify actions teachers can take to improve the school experience of their students who stutter; (c) summarize findings regarding teachers' beliefs about people who stutter (PWS); (d) identify key variables that are associated with beliefs about PWS.

The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and Bipolar Adjective Scale (BAS): aspects of validity

PURPOSE

In order to estimate instrument validity, attitudes toward stuttering measured by the newly developed Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and the Woods and Williams (1976) semantic differential scale (referred to herein as the Bipolar Adjective Scale [BAS]) are compared in college students on one occasion as well as before and after coursework on fluency disorders.

METHOD

Undergraduate and graduate students (n=321) from four universities filled out online versions of the POSHA-S and BAS. Two-thirds were speech-language pathology (SLP) majors; one-third were students in other majors. A subset of the SLP students (n=35) filled out the two instruments again after 8-13 weeks of coursework on fluency disorders.

RESULTS

Correlations between all ratings of the POSHA-S and BAS were run for the 321 students. Only 26% of the correlations were statistically significant (R ≥ ± 0.129), and the large majority of these reflected small relationships. POSHA-S ratings were correlated with up to 77% of the items of the BAS while BAS items were correlated with up to 45% of the POSHA-S ratings. After coursework on stuttering, students' attitudes improved on both instruments, but more on the POSHA-S than the BAS.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater evidence of discriminant validity than convergent validity characterized the POSHA-S and BAS. Both measures showed improved attitudes after fluency disorders coursework, but more so for the POSHA-S, confirming previous reports of construct validity. The POSHA-S taps relevant constructs not included in the BAS, which provide advantages for intracultural, international, and other comparisons of public attitudes toward stuttering.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The reader will be able to: (1) describe differentiating characteristics of the POSHA-S and BAS as measures of public attitudes toward stuttering, (2) describe the overlap and lack of overlap in the constructs measured by POSHA-S and BAS, (3) describe discriminant versus convergent validity and (4) describe advantages of the POSHA-S and BAS in various types of comparative studies of stuttering attitudes.

Stuttering attitudes of students: Professional, intracultural, and international comparisons

PURPOSE

The study sought to identify major-specific, training, and cultural factors affecting attitudes toward stuttering of speech-language pathology (SLP) students.

METHOD

Eight convenience samples of 50 students each from universities in the USA and Poland filled out the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) in English or Polish, respectively. USA samples included undergraduate and graduate students in SLP majors or non-SLP majors as well as a sample of non-SLP students who were Native Americans. Polish samples included SLP (logopedics), psychology, and mixed majors.

RESULTS

SLP students held more positive attitudes than non-SLP students in both countries. Graduate students held more positive attitudes than undergraduate students in the USA, and this effect was stronger for SLP than for non-SLP students. Native American students' stuttering attitudes were similar to other American non-SLP students' attitudes. Polish student attitudes were less positive overall than those of their American student counterparts.

CONCLUSION

SLP students' attitudes toward stuttering are affected by a "halo effect" of being in that major, by specific training in fluency disorders, and by various cultural factors, yet to be clearly understood.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

The reader will be able to: (a) describe major factors affecting SLP students' attitudes toward stuttering; (b) describe similarities and differences in attitudes toward stuttering of students from the USA and Poland; (c) describe similarities and differences in attitudes toward stuttering of Native American students from the USA and non-Native American students.

Louis KO. Modifying Attitudes of Arab School Teachers Toward Stuttering

Purpose

The authors of this quasi-experimental design study explored the effect of an educational documentary video that presented factual and emotional aspects of stuttering on changing attitudes toward stuttering of preservice trainees and in-service public school teachers in Kuwait.

Method

Participants were 99 preservice trainees (48 control, 51 experimental) and 103 in-service teachers (49 control, 54 experimental). All participants completed 22 items from the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes—Stuttering (POSHA–S; St. Louis, 2005; translated into Arabic) and 17 additional items pre and post treatment. Participants in the experimental group viewed the awareness video.

Results

Pretreatment comparisons confirmed that the control and experimental groups did not differ on their attitudes toward stuttering. As predicted, the posttreatment ratings for the control group were not different from the pretreatment ratings. A significant shift in attitudes (mostly in a positive direction) from pre to post treatment was observed for the experimental group of preservice trainees but not for the experimental group of in-service teachers. Interpretation of the difference in outcomes for the experimental preservice group as compared to the experimental in-service group is confounded by gender differences across groups.

Conclusion

The authors of this study demonstrated that it is possible to positively modify preservice trainees' attitudes of people who stutter by using an educational documentary video.

Public attitudes toward stuttering in Poland

BACKGROUND

People who stutter often experience negative judgments and reactions to their stuttering from the nonstuttering majority. Many are stigmatized because of their stuttering and threatened with social exclusion, placing them at risk for compromised quality of life.

AIMS

The purpose of this investigation was to measure public attitudes toward stuttering in Poland.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

A sample of 268 respondents (mean age = 29 years; range = 15-60 years) from numerous different geographic and urban-rural settings in Poland filled out a Polish translation of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S).

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

Polish respondents displayed attitudes toward stuttering and people who stutter that were generally similar or "average" in comparison with other samples around the world from the POSHA-S database.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

Although generally typical of other Western societies studied, attitudes of adolescents and adults from Poland were notably different in some ways, such as in the beliefs that emotional trauma or viruses and disease can cause stuttering as well as in the self reaction that they would feel uncomfortable speaking with a stuttering person. Overall, social exclusion and stigma are as likely among Poles who stutter as among most other populations studied.

Stuttering attitudes in Hong Kong and adjacent Mainland China

The present study aims at studying the public attitudes towards stuttering in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Translated Chinese versions of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) were distributed to convenience samples in Hong Kong and Mainland China, with a total number of 175 completed questionnaires returned in each sampling region (n 5 350). Mean ratings of respondents from Hong Kong and Mainland China were similar in most comparisons; yet, a few differences were noted. Larger but idiosyncratic differences characterized the Chinese respondents compared to more than 4000 respondents from numerous countries and languages around the world in the POSHA-S database archive. Overall, they documented aspects of stereotypes and potential stigma with respect to people who stutter. While premature to provide unambiguous conclusions, results suggest that Chinese respondents have unique stuttering attitudes.