1
|
Chen YA, Miyamoto S, Louis KOS. Public attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering in Chinese and Japanese speech-language pathology students. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2024; 82:106077. [PMID: 39213792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2024.106077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study utilized the Chinese and Japanese translations of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and Cluttering (POSHA-Cl) to compare the differences in (a) attitudes towards stuttering versus cluttering in speech-language pathology (SLP) students in either China or Japan, (b) attitudes of SLP students in China versus Japan towards either stuttering or cluttering, and (c) attitudes of Chinese and Japanese students versus international databases for stuttering and cluttering. METHOD The POSHA-S and POSHA-Cl were both administered to 99 SLP students from six universities in China and 352 SLP students from two universities in Japan. RESULTS Attitudes toward stuttering were markedly different for Chinese versus Japanese students. Overall, stuttering attitudes were slightly more positive than cluttering attitudes in both countries; however, compared to China, Japanese SLP students attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering were more disimilar. In addition, compared with the international database, the attitudes of Chinese and Japanese SLP students toward self-reactions to both disorders were more positive. CONCLUSION Chinese and Japanese SLP students' attitudes toward both stuttering and cluttering are likely to be influenced by geography, culture, education, and the "halo effect." The attitudes of the SLP students in China and Japan are more negative than the attitudes as shown in the global data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-An Chen
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Shoko Miyamoto
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ma Y, Mason EM, McGinn EM, Parker J, Oxley JD, St Louis KO. Attitudes toward stuttering of college students in the USA and China: A cross-cultural comparison using the POSHA-S. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2024; 79:106037. [PMID: 38301423 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2024.106037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study compared the attitudes toward stuttering among college students in China and the USA using the POSHA-S survey, which assesses knowledge about stuttering and attitudes toward it. We investigated how cultural and social differences between the two groups influenced these attitudes. METHODS We collected 199 responses to the POSHA-S survey from various universities in China and the USA. We conducted a statistical analysis of 15 summary scores generated from the POSHA-S to determine if there were significant differences in attitudes toward stuttering between the two groups. Additionally, we retrieved percentile ranks relative to the global POSHA-S database to compare attitudes in both groups with global median scores. RESULTS The study revealed that Chinese college students hold more negative attitudes toward stuttering compared to their American counterparts and the global median scores. We discussed the social and cultural factors that may contribute to these attitudes. Furthermore, our findings emphasized the importance of addressing the lack of accurate information about stuttering in China, which could be a key factor driving these negative attitudes. CONCLUSION These results underscore the urgent need to raise awareness about stuttering and promote a shift in public attitudes, especially among college students in China, who play influential roles in society's future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ma
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Purdue University Fort Wayne, 2101 East Coliseum Boulevard, CLCB 113, Fort Wayne, IN 46805, United States.
| | - Emmalee M Mason
- Prosser Memorial Hospital, 326 Chardonnay Ave., Prosser, WA 99350, United States
| | - Evynn M McGinn
- Signature Home Health, 454 NE Revere Ave, Bend, OR 97701, United States
| | - Jordan Parker
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Fort Hays State University, 600 Park St., Hays, KS 67601, United States
| | - Judith D Oxley
- Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 43170 Lafayette, LA 70504, United States
| | - Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 4382, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Al Awaji NN, Alfouzan RF, Almutairi AR, Mortada EM. Predictors of public attitudes in Saudi Arabia toward people who stutter. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295029. [PMID: 38127923 PMCID: PMC10734922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) was used to measure the attitudes of the general population in Saudi Arabia toward people who stutter (PWS) and to identify the predictors of the overall stuttering score (OSS). METHOD A total of 404 adults from Saudi Arabia (16.8% male and 83.2% female) completed an online POSHA-S questionnaire. RESULTS The attitudes of adults in Saudi Arabia were similar to those of other samples worldwide. Working status, income, and multilingualism were substantial predictors of the OSS. CONCLUSION Saudi adults have positive impressions, beliefs, and self-reactions to PWS. However, their knowledge of stuttering tends to be limited. Therefore, campaigns conducted to raise awareness of stuttering should adopt the most widely used sources of knowledge in the Saudi Arabian community (i.e., the Internet and social media). Sociodemographic variables predictive of positive versus negative OSS include working status and multilingualism. Unpredictive variables, that do not predict positive versus negative OSS, include age, gender, education, parental status, health, abilities, and income.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nisreen Naser Al Awaji
- Department of Health Communication Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reem Fouzan Alfouzan
- Formerly of Department of Health Communication Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afnan Razen Almutairi
- Formerly of Department of Health Communication Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eman M. Mortada
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ma Y, Oxley JD, Yaruss JS, Tetnowski JA. Stuttering experience of people in China: A cross-cultural perspective. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2023; 77:105994. [PMID: 37478807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2023.105994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study uses the Simplified Chinese version of the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering for Adults (OASES-A-SC) to examine the stuttering experience of people in China and determine if there are differences between the data collected in China and other countries. METHODS A total of 139 responses to the OASES-A-SC were collected in an online self-help community of people in China who stutter. Descriptive analyses were conducted to obtain the understanding of how stuttering impacts the life experience of people in China who stutter. Comparisons were conducted regarding the groups of gender, highest education, and therapy history. Cross-cultural comparisons among the data collected from China, Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and the USA were also conducted. RESULTS The data for the OASES-A-SC showed a skewed distribution toward the severe end of the OASES-A impacting scale. About 93.5% participants rated the overall impact of stuttering on their life at and above the "Moderate" category. The mean scores of the General Information, Reaction to Stuttering, and Qualify of Life sections fell in the moderate-to-severe category. Compared with the data in other five countries, the Chinese data were significantly higher in the impact severity level. CONCLUSION The results showed that people in China who stutter have more adverse experiences related to stuttering compared with their counterparts in western or developed countries. Higher negative attitudes toward stuttering in China, social stigma against people with disabilities, and the fewer professional supports were discussed to be associated with this more adverse experience. Cultural differences such as a greater power distance and higher collectivism in Chinese culture were considered to be associated with the elevated level of adverse impact of stuttering in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ma
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Purdue University Fort Wayne, 2101 East Coliseum Boulevard, CLCB 111, Fort Wayne, IN 46805, United States.
| | - Judith D Oxley
- Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 43170, Lafayette, LA 70504, United States
| | - J Scott Yaruss
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, 1026 Red Cedar Rd, Room 112, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - John A Tetnowski
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Oklahoma State University, Social Sciences and Humanities Building, Room 011, Stillwater, OK 74078, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mahesh S, Pushpavathi M, Seth D, Saravanan S, Yaruss JS. Adaptation and Validation of Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering for Adults in Kannada (OASES-A-K). Folia Phoniatr Logop 2023; 76:30-38. [PMID: 37231963 DOI: 10.1159/000531048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Psychosocial aspects of stuttering may affect the quality of life of a person who stutters (PWS). Further, the social stigma and experiences of PWS may vary globally. The WHO-ICF guidelines recommend quality of life as an essential component in the assessment of individuals who stutter. However, the availability of linguistically and culturally appropriate tools is often a challenge. Thus, the current study adapted and validated the OASES-A for Kannada-speaking adults who stutter. METHOD The original English version of OASES-A was adapted to Kannada using a standard reverse translation process. The adapted version was administered on 51 Kannada-speaking adults with very mild to very severe stuttering. The data were analyzed for item characteristics, reliability, and validity assessment. RESULTS The results revealed floor and ceiling effects for six and two items, respectively. The mean overall impact score indicated a moderate impact of stuttering. Further, the impact score for section II was relatively higher when compared to the data from other countries. The reliability and validity analyses showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability for OASES-A-K. CONCLUSION The findings of the current research suggest that OASES-A-K is a sensitive and reliable tool to assess the impact of stuttering in Kannada-speaking PWS. The findings also highlight cross-cultural differences and the need for research in this direction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sangeetha Mahesh
- Department of Clinical Services, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India
| | - Mariswamy Pushpavathi
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India
| | - Divya Seth
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Sivaranjani Saravanan
- Department of Clinical Services, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India
| | - J Scott Yaruss
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chu SY, Unicomb R, Lee J, Cho KS, St Louis KO, Harrison E, McConnell G. Public attitudes toward stuttering in Malaysia. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2022; 74:105942. [PMID: 36395547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2022.105942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shin Ying Chu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-CARE), Speech Sciences Programme, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia.
| | - Rachael Unicomb
- School of Health Science, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia.
| | - Jaehoon Lee
- Department of Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Counseling, Texas Tech University, PO Box 41071, Lubbock, TX 79409-1071, USA.
| | - Kai Shuo Cho
- Speech Therapy Services, UKM Specialist Children Hospital, Jalan Yaakob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia.
| | - Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, West Virginia University, PO Box 4382, Morgantown, WV 26504, USA.
| | | | - Grace McConnell
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health and Human Services, Rockhurst University, 1100 Rockhurst Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Darmody T, O'Brian S, Rogers K, Onslow M, Jacobs C, McEwen A, Lowe R, Packman A, Menzies R. Stuttering, family history and counselling: A contemporary database. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2022; 73:105925. [PMID: 35998418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2022.105925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Information about genetic influence is useful to when counselling parents or caregivers who have infants and children at risk for stuttering. Yet, the most comprehensive family aggregate database to inform that counselling is nearly four decades old (Andrews et al., 1983). Consequently, the present study was designed to provide a contemporary exploration of the relationship between stuttering and family history. METHODS Data were sourced from the Australian Stuttering Research Centre, comprising 739 participants who presented for assessment, treatment, or investigation of stuttering. Reported family history data were acquired from pedigrees collected during assessment. We sought to establish the relation of the following variables to family history of stuttering: incidence, proband sex, parent sex, stuttering severity, age, reported age of stuttering onset, and impact of stuttering. Data were analysed with chi-square tests for independence, logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS Results were broadly consistent with existing data, but the following findings were novel. Males and females who stutter have the same increased odds of having a father who stutters relative to a mother who stutters. Males had later stuttering onset than females, with genetic involvement in this effect. There was a greater impact of stuttering for females than males with a family history of stuttering. CONCLUSION These findings have clinical applications. Speech-language pathologists may have infant or child clients known to them who are at risk of beginning to stutter. Information from the present study can be applied to counselling parents or caregivers of such children about stuttering and family history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tara Darmody
- University of Technology Sydney, Graduate School of Health, NSW, Australia
| | - Sue O'Brian
- University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia
| | - Kris Rogers
- University of Technology Sydney, Graduate School of Health, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Onslow
- University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia.
| | - Chris Jacobs
- University of Technology Sydney, Graduate School of Health, NSW, Australia
| | - Alison McEwen
- University of Technology Sydney, Graduate School of Health, NSW, Australia
| | - Robyn Lowe
- University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia
| | - Ann Packman
- University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia
| | - Ross Menzies
- University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lefort MKR, Erickson S, Block S, Carey B, St Louis KO. Australian attitudes towards stuttering: A cross-sectional study. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2021; 69:105865. [PMID: 34380103 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2021.105865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
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'.
Collapse
|
9
|
Jacobs MM, Merlo S, Briley PM. Sleep duration, insomnia, and stuttering: The relationship in adolescents and young adults. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 91:106106. [PMID: 34015644 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Evidence of a linkage between neurodevelopmental stuttering and sleep difficulties has been suggested in studies involving children and adolescents. To further examine the relationship between stuttering and sleep, the current study explored both hours of sleep and insomnia in a longitudinal sample of adolescents and young adults living with stuttering. METHOD The data for this study came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative survey study following 13,564 US respondents over the course of 20 years. In each of the five survey waves, respondents noted their average hours of sleep. In addition, Wave IV, respondents indicated whether they suffered from insomnia (i.e., difficulty falling or staying asleep). Respondents who indicated stuttering at ages 18-26 (Wave III) and 24-32 (Wave IV) are considered as those with persistent stuttering-the focus of this analysis. Regression analysis assessed the association between stuttering, hours of sleep and insomnia controlling for sex, age, race, education and other demographic characteristics. RESULTS The sample included 261 participants (1.7% of total respondents) who identified themselves as people who stutter, comprised of 169 males and 92 females. Compared to their fluent counterparts, individuals who stutter reported to sleep, on average, 20 min less per night. Additionally, 15% of those who stutter reported difficulties falling or staying asleep almost every day or every day, which is twice as likely as controls. Results were robust to demographic characteristics and co-occurring conditions. CONCLUSIONS Speech-language pathologists should be aware of the association between stuttering and insomnia, as well as the lower average hours of sleep among adolescents and young adults who stutter. The possibility that lower sleep duration and insomnia may affect stuttering daily variability and impair improvement from stuttering are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly M Jacobs
- Department of Health Services & Information Management, East Carolina University, 4340E Health Sciences Building, MS 668, Greenville, NC, United States.
| | | | - Patrick M Briley
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Üstün-Yavuz MS, Warmington M, Gerlach H, St Louis KO. Cultural difference in attitudes towards stuttering among British, Arab and Chinese students: Considering home and host cultures. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 56:609-619. [PMID: 33818900 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meryem S Üstün-Yavuz
- Division of Human Communications Sciences, Health Sciences School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Hope Gerlach
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Iimura D, Ishida O, Takahashi S, Yokoi H, Miyamoto S. A Questionnaire Survey About Support Requests From School-Age Children and Adolescents Who Stutter. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2021; 52:717-727. [PMID: 33497578 DOI: 10.1044/2020_lshss-20-00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Children who stutter (CWS) face communication difficulties in school activities and at home. Although the importance of receiving support from their surroundings has been documented, few studies have investigated potential requests of CWS from their surroundings. This study aimed to elucidate such requests. Method A total of 43 school-age children and 25 adolescents who stutter completed a free-description questionnaire, including questions such as "what you want your classmates/your classroom teacher/your family to do about your stuttering?" Their descriptions were summarized and categorized based on similarity. Results The results indicate that 90.6% of the participants had more than one request for their classmates, classroom teacher, or family. A total of 197 items were extracted and categorized into seven themes. In particular, the responses included "listen attentively," "treat us naturally," and "make arrangements." While participants tended to hope for classmates or family to "listen attentively" and "treat us naturally," the request to "make arrangements" was higher for their teacher. Their potential requests varied by age: While school-age CWS wanted people around them to "listen carefully," the hope of adolescents who stutter was "treat us naturally." Conclusions The various potential requests of CWS were categorized, and the responses shed light on the importance of increasing knowledge of stuttering. The difference between the requests could reflect psychosocial differences between school-age children and adolescents who stutter. In addition, social interaction among peers is more developed in adolescents, and they could harbor fear of being excluded within their community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daichi Iimura
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Okayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Osamu Ishida
- Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.,Saitama Municipal Nakamoto Elementary School, Saitama, Japan
| | | | - Hideaki Yokoi
- Japan Stuttering Genyukai Association, Tokyo, Japan.,Narumi Stuttering Consultation Room, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shoko Miyamoto
- Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Arafa A, Senosy S, Sheerah HA, St. Louis K. Public attitudes towards people who stutter in South Egypt. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245673. [PMID: 33539373 PMCID: PMC7861357 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Stuttering is a multifactorial speech disorder with significant social and psychological consequences. There is a lack of knowledge about public attitudes towards people who stutter (PWS) and the factors that can determine such attitudes in underprivileged communities. This study aimed to assess the public attitudes in South Egypt towards PWS and compare our results with those stored in a reference database representing 180 different samples. Methods A multi-stage random sampling approach was used to recruit 650 people from Beni-Suef City in South Egypt. All participants were interviewed using the Arabic version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) after getting their informed consent. This instrument assesses people’s Beliefs and Self Reactions towards PWS in addition to their sociodemographic characteristics. Results The Beliefs and Self Reactions subscores in addition to the Overall Stuttering Score of the Egyptian sample were remarkably lower than the median values of the reference database (12 versus 34), (-4 versus 2), and (4 versus 18), respectively. TV, radio, and films were the main sources of knowledge about stuttering. Egyptian participants who reported average to high income were more likely to have a positive attitude (≥50% of Overall Stuttering Score) towards PWS than their counterparts with low income (Odds Ratio = 1.57, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.08–2.28). Conclusion People in South Egypt showed a less positive attitude towards PWS compared with other populations worldwide. Further studies should focus on changing the public attitudes towards PWS through awareness programs that consider the cultural perspectives of the society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Arafa
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
- Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Shaimaa Senosy
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Haytham A. Sheerah
- Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenneth St. Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Iimura D, Miyamoto S. Public attitudes toward people who stutter in the workplace: A questionnaire survey of Japanese employees. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 89:106072. [PMID: 33388698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.106072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Negative attitudes toward stuttering by people in their work roles have been previously reported. These attitudes could differ depending on whether or not someone knows a person or has been in contact with a person who stutters. This study aimed to elucidate public attitudes toward people who stutter at work. METHODS A web-based questionnaire survey of 730 adults drawn from the general public throughout Japan was conducted. It gathered information on respondents' demographics, contact experience with people who stutter, knowledge of stuttering, and attitudes and experiences toward stuttering at work, using a Likert-type scale. To investigate the factors associated with their attitudes and experiences toward stuttering at work, respondents' demographic information and contact experience were entered into a multivariable model using ordinal logistic regression analysis. RESULTS We analyzed the data of 671 respondents, of whom 77.2 % were company employees; 41.3 % knew a person who stutters at their workplace, among their friends, and/or in their family, and 34.7 % had been in the position of hiring any individual. Respondents perceived the employment of people who stutter to be somewhat positive overall. Regression analysis revealed that only the factor of workplace contact experience to be significantly positively associated with the respondents' attitudes toward stuttering. That is, knowing a person who stutters in one's workplace was significantly associated with more positive attitudes. CONCLUSION Previous studies have reported widespread negative public attitudes toward stuttering. Our results can supplement this literature, especially regarding attitudes in the workplace. Our findings suggest that the main factor that is associated with people's positive attitudes is their contact experience with people who stutter in their workplace.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daichi Iimura
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, 288 Matsushima, Kurashiki-shi, Okayama, 701-0193, Japan; Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.
| | - Shoko Miyamoto
- Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
St Louis KO. Comparing and Predicting Public Attitudes Toward Stuttering, Obesity, and Mental Illness. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2020; 29:2023-2038. [PMID: 32857617 DOI: 10.1044/2020_ajslp-20-00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, West Virginia University, Morgantown
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hewat S, Unicomb R, Dean I, Cui G. Treatment of Childhood stuttering using the Lidcombe Program in mainland China: case studies. SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND HEARING 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/2050571x.2018.1511106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sally Hewat
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Rachael Unicomb
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Imogen Dean
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Guangli Cui
- Orient Speech Therapy Center, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
St Louis KO, Węsierska K, Przepiórka A, Błachnio A, Beucher C, Abdalla F, Flynn T, Reichel I, Beste-Guldborg A, Junuzović-Žunić L, Gottwald S, Hartley J, Eisert S, Johnson KN, Bolton B, Sangani MT, Rezai H, Abdi S, Pushpavathi M, Hudock D, Spears S, Aliveto E. Success in changing stuttering attitudes: A retrospective analysis of 29 intervention studies. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2019; 84:105972. [PMID: 32114184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2019.105972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Agata Błachnio
- The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sarah Eisert
- Children's Therapy of Woodinville, Woodinville, WA, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Bolton
- Leeds Community Health Care and Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Hossein Rezai
- Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Salman Abdi
- Iran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - M Pushpavathi
- All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru, India
| | | | - Sara Spears
- Oceanside Unified School District, Oceanside, CA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Lindström E, Nilsson E, Nilsson J, Schödin I, Strömberg N, Österberg S, Yaruss JS, Samson I. Swedish outcomes of the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering in an international perspective. LOGOP PHONIATR VOCO 2019; 45:181-189. [PMID: 31771383 DOI: 10.1080/14015439.2019.1695930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Aim: The purpose of the present project was to translate the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES) to Swedish, and to compare the results with available international data.Method: The Swedish versions of OASES-A, OASES-T and OASES-S were administered to 80 adults, 27 teenagers and 32 children who stutter, respectively. The overall impact scores and the impact scores for each of the four sections of the instrument were analyzed in relation to other studies involving the OASES.Results: The results revealed that all three Swedish versions of OASES had normally distributed outcomes and that they were reliable and valid. The overall impact scores for adults (2.33), teenagers (2.60) and children (2.28) all fell within Impact Rating Moderate. The mean overall impact score for OASES-A-S was significantly lower than corresponding data from USA, Australia and Japan (p < .01). There was no difference between Swedish and American teenagers, or between Swedish and American or Dutch schoolchildren.Conclusion: There seems to be cultural differences in the experience of negative consequences associated with stuttering. This suggests that cultural aspects should be carefully considered in assessment, treatment, and research involving individuals who stutter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Lindström
- Faculty of Arts, Psychology and Theology, Logopedics, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.,Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emma Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julie Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Isabelle Schödin
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nina Strömberg
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sofia Österberg
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Scott Yaruss
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ineke Samson
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Speech and Language Pathology, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Glover HL, St Louis KO, Weidner ME. Comparing stuttering attitudes of preschool through 5th grade children and their parents in a predominately rural Appalachian sample. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2019; 59:64-79. [PMID: 30528242 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
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, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th 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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haley L Glover
- Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences, 805 Allen Hall, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6122, United States
| | - Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences, 805 Allen Hall, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6122, United States.
| | - Mary E Weidner
- Department of Communication Disorders, 1 John Marshall Drive, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Al-Shdifat KG, Maayah M, Mayo R, Louis KS. Attitudes of Communication Sciences and Disorders Students at Jordan University of Science and Technology toward Stuttering and People Who Stutter. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.12963/csd.18532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
|
20
|
Shimada M, Toyomura A, Fujii T, Minami T. Children who stutter at 3 years of age: A community-based study. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2018; 56:45-54. [PMID: 29602051 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Lack of social resources to support children who stutter may be due, in part, to the absence of epidemiological data regarding stuttering. This study investigated the proportion of three-year-old children who stutter in a city located in Hokkaido, a northern island of Japan. METHODS The speech of individual children was assessed as part of a routine, government-conducted health care examination for 3-year-old children. The number of children screened was 2274, or 94.4% of all children in the city. The first author participated in the health care examination, and followed up all of the children who were found to stutter. RESULTS At 3 years of age, 1.41% of the children exhibited stuttering; 82.8% of these children subsequently did not exhibit stuttering six months later. Boys were 1.57 times more likely to stutter than girls, but they had only 86% of the probability of reported or observed fluency seen in girls six months later. Significantly higher probability of later fluency was observed in children who exhibited normal, rather than delayed, language development at the 1.5-year health checkup preceding the 3-year health checkup. CONCLUSION The proportion of three-year-old children who stutter and fluency status 6 months later are reported for a large cohort of Japanese children in Hokkaido. Language skills at 1;6 year may potentially be a factor in natural recovery or persistence; because of limitations in our study design, this assumption requires additional study. This is the first preliminary study to determine the proportion of three-year-old children who stutter in a Japanese community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michiko Shimada
- Sapporo Medical Technology, Welfare, and Dentistry Professional Training, College of Nishino Gakuen School Foundation, Minami 5, Nishi 11, Chuoku, Sapporo 064-0805, Japan
| | - Akira Toyomura
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8514, Japan.
| | - Tetsunoshin Fujii
- Graduate School of Letters, Hokkaido University, Kita 10, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Takayuki Minami
- Minami-Tsukisamu Elementary School, Tsukisamu Nishi 4-8, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-0024, Japan; Japan Stuttering Genyukai Association, Minami-Otsuka 1-30-15, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0005, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Iimura D, Yada Y, Imaizumi K, Takeuchi T, Miyawaki M, Van Borsel J. Public awareness and knowledge of stuttering in Japan. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2018; 72:136-145. [PMID: 29448988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine laypeople's knowledge and awareness of stuttering in Japan. METHODS A total of 303 respondents, recruited by street sampling, completed a questionnaire assessing the prevalence, onset, gender distribution, occurrence in different races, cause, treatment, association with intelligence, and hereditariness of stuttering. The questionnaire used was a Japanese version of that devised by Van Borsel, Verniers, and Bouvry (1999) for use in Belgium. RESULTS Although around half of the respondents had heard or met a stutterer, they tended to misunderstand the stuttering; e.g., respondents estimated the prevalence of stuttering as high. Knowledge also differed according to age, gender, and education level. Specifically, older individuals, females, and individuals with higher levels of education tended to have greater knowledge of stuttering. In comparing the results of the present study with similar studies conducted in Belgium, China, and Brazil, we observed several similarities and differences. DISCUSSION Although most respondents were to some extent familiar with stuttering, their overall knowledge of the condition was limited. Certain factors could be involved in having knowledge of stuttering, such as one's life experience, cultural background, and social attitudes toward stuttering. The findings suggest the need for growing knowledge and awareness of stuttering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daichi Iimura
- Domo-work (Specified Nonprofit Corporation), 7-26-7, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0022, Japan; Department of Rehabilitation, Fuke Hospital, 2197, Kamekubo, Hujimino-shi, Saitama, 356-0051, Japan.
| | - Yasuto Yada
- Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1, Minamiosawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Kazuya Imaizumi
- Faculty of Healthcare, Tokyo Healthcare University, 3-11-3, Setagaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 154-8568, Japan
| | - Toshimitsu Takeuchi
- Domo-work (Specified Nonprofit Corporation), 7-26-7, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0022, Japan
| | - Manami Miyawaki
- Domo-work (Specified Nonprofit Corporation), 7-26-7, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0022, Japan
| | - John Van Borsel
- Department of Logopaedic and Audiologic Sciences, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185 2P1, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Qiao J, Wang Z, Zhao G, Huo Y, Herder CL, Sikora CO, Peterson BS. Functional neural circuits that underlie developmental stuttering. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179255. [PMID: 28759567 PMCID: PMC5536300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify differences in functional and effective brain connectivity between persons who stutter (PWS) and typically developing (TD) fluent speakers, and to assess whether those differences can serve as biomarkers to distinguish PWS from TD controls. We acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data in 44 PWS and 50 TD controls. We then used Independent Component Analysis (ICA) together with Hierarchical Partner Matching (HPM) to identify networks of robust, functionally connected brain regions that were highly reproducible across participants, and we assessed whether connectivity differed significantly across diagnostic groups. We then used Granger Causality (GC) to study the causal interactions (effective connectivity) between the regions that ICA and HPM identified. Finally, we used a kernel support vector machine to assess how well these measures of functional connectivity and granger causality discriminate PWS from TD controls. Functional connectivity was stronger in PWS compared with TD controls in the supplementary motor area (SMA) and primary motor cortices, but weaker in inferior frontal cortex (IFG, Broca’s area), caudate, putamen, and thalamus. Additionally, causal influences were significantly weaker in PWS from the IFG to SMA, and from the basal ganglia to IFG through the thalamus, compared to TD controls. ICA and GC indices together yielded an accuracy of 92.7% in classifying PWS from TD controls. Our findings suggest the presence of dysfunctional circuits that support speech planning and timing cues for the initiation and execution of motor sequences in PWS. Our high accuracy of classification further suggests that these aberrant brain features may serve as robust biomarkers for PWS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianping Qiao
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Image Processing Technology, Institute of Data Science and Technology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Zhishun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (ZW); (GZ)
| | - Guihu Zhao
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- * E-mail: (ZW); (GZ)
| | - Yuankai Huo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Carl L. Herder
- American Institute for Stuttering, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Chamonix O. Sikora
- American Institute for Stuttering, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Valente ARS, St Louis KO, Leahy M, Hall A, Jesus LMT. A country-wide probability sample of public attitudes toward stuttering in Portugal. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2017; 52:37-52. [PMID: 28576292 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita S Valente
- Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro (IEETA) University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Education and Psychology (DEP) University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Kenneth O St Louis
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Margaret Leahy
- Department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Andreia Hall
- CIDMA - Center for Research and Development in Mathematics and Applications, Department of Mathematics University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Luis M T Jesus
- Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro (IEETA) University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; School of Health Sciences (ESSUA) University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Weidner ME, St Louis KO, Nakisci E, Ozdemir RS. A comparison of attitudes towards stuttering of non-stuttering preschoolers in the United States and Turkey. SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2017; 64:e1-e11. [PMID: 28470081 PMCID: PMC5843207 DOI: 10.4102/sajcd.v64i1.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives Extensive research documents ubiquitous negative attitudes towards stuttering, but when and how they develop is unclear. This non-experimental, comparative study examined US and Turkish preschoolers to explore the origin of stuttering attitudes cross-culturally. Method The authors compared stuttering attitudes of 28 US and 31 Turkish non-stuttering preschoolers on English and Turkish versions of experimental prototypes of the newly developed Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes–Stuttering/Child (POSHA–S/Child). Children first watched a short video of two stuttering avatar characters and then answered oral questions about stuttering. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire. Differences in the US and Turkish POSHA–S/Child means were calculated using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results Attitudes of the US and Turkish children were remarkably similar. Children rated most of the items negatively but also rated some items as neutral or positive. They held relatively more negative attitudes towards traits and personalities of children who stutter yet relatively more positive attitudes towards stuttering children’s potential. Conclusion Stuttering attitudes in children appear to be partly independent of culture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Weidner
- Department of Communication Disorders, Marshall University.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abrahams K, Harty M, St Louis KO, Thabane L, Kathard H. Primary school teachers' opinions and attitudes towards stuttering in two South African urban education districts. SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2016; 63:e1-e10. [PMID: 27796099 PMCID: PMC5843230 DOI: 10.4102/sajcd.v63i1.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As teachers form an important part of the intervention process with childrenwho stutter in primary school, the primary aim was to describe primary school teachers'attitudes in South Africa. The secondary aim was to compare teachers' attitudes towardsstuttering in South Africa with those from a pooled group of respondents in the Public OpinionSurvey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) database from different countries collectedin 2009-2014. METHOD A quantitative, cross-sectional survey research design was used. Primary schools intwo education districts in Western Cape, South Africa, were sampled. The POSHA-S, a selfadministeredquestionnaire, was completed by a cluster sample of 469 participants. RESULTS Overall positive attitudes towards stuttering were found, specifically related to thepotential of people who stutter, although the result should be interpreted with caution as thesample was not homogenously positive. Teachers still had misconceptions about personalitystereotypes and the cause of stuttering. The attitudes of the South African sample were slightlymore positive compared with the samples in the current POSHA-S database. CONCLUSION When developing stuttering intervention strategies, there are a number of keyconsiderations to take into account. The study provides a basis for speech-language therapiststo think about intervention with teachers and which areas of stuttering to consider.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Abrahams
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Cape Town.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
St Louis KO, Sønsterud H, Junuzović-Žunić L, Tomaiuoli D, Del Gado F, Caparelli E, Theiling M, Flobakk C, Helmen LN, Heitmann RR, Kvenseth H, Nilsson S, Wetterling T, Lundström C, Daly C, Leahy M, Tyrrell L, Ward D, Węsierska M. Public attitudes toward stuttering in Europe: Within-country and between-country comparisons. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2016; 62:115-30. [PMID: 27367742 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2016.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Epidemiological research methods have been shown to be useful in determining factors that might predict commonly reported negative public attitudes toward stuttering. Previous research has suggested that stuttering attitudes of respondents from North America and Europe (i.e., "The West"), though characterized by stereotypes and potential stigma, are more positive than those from several other regions of the world. This inference assumes that public attitudes within various regions characterized by "The West" are similar. PURPOSE This study aimed to determine the extent to which public stuttering attitudes are similar or different both within regions of three different European countries and between or among five different European countries or similar geographic areas. It also aimed to compare these European attitudes to attitudes from 135 samples around the world using a standard measure. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using convenience sampling, 1111 adult respondents from eight different investigations completed the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) in the dominant language of each country or area. In Study I, the authors compared attitudes within three different regions of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, and Norway. In Study II, the authors compared attitudes between combined samples from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, and Norway (with additional respondents from Sweden), and two other samples, one from Germany and the other from Ireland and England. RESULTS Attitudes of adults from the three samples within Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, and Norway were remarkably similar. By contrast, attitudes between the five different countries or area were quite dramatically different. Demographic variables on the POSHA-S did not predict the rank order of these between-country/area differences. Compared to the POSHA-S worldwide database, European attitudes ranged from less positive than average (i.e., Italians) to more positive than average (i.e., Norwegians and Swedes). CONCLUSION Factors related to national identity appear to play a significant role in differences in public attitudes in Europe and should be explored in future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth O St Louis
- West Virginia University, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, 805 Allen Hall, PO Box 6122, Morgantown, WV 26506-6122, USA.
| | - Hilda Sønsterud
- Statped, Department of Speech and Language Disorders, Oslo, Norway.
| | | | | | | | | | - Mareen Theiling
- Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH Aachen University), Germany.
| | - Cecilie Flobakk
- Aakershagan Training and Activity Centre, Stange, Hedmark, Norway.
| | | | | | | | | | - Tobias Wetterling
- Speech-Language Pathology, Helsingborg Hospital, Helsingborg, Sweden.
| | | | - Ciara Daly
- Wicklow Primary Healthcare Centre, Knockrobin, Wicklow Town, Ireland.
| | | | - Laila Tyrrell
- Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Thatcham, UK.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
St Louis KO, Sønsterud H, Carlo EJ, Heitmann RR, Kvenseth H. Public attitudes toward-and identification of-cluttering and stuttering in Norway and Puerto Rico. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2014; 42:21-34. [PMID: 25465413 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2014.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The study sought to compare public attitudes toward cluttering versus stuttering in Norway and Puerto Rico and to compare respondents' identification of persons known with these fluency disorders. METHOD After reading lay definitions of cluttering and stuttering, three samples of adults from Norway and three from Puerto Rico rated their attitudes toward cluttering and/or stuttering on modified versions of the POSHA-Cl (for cluttering) and POSHA-S (for stuttering). They also identified children and adults whom they knew who either or both manifested cluttering or stuttering. RESULTS Attitudes toward cluttering were essentially unaffected by rating either cluttering only or combined cluttering and stuttering on the same questionnaire in both countries. The same was also true of stuttering. Attitudes were very similar toward both disorders although slightly less positive for cluttering. Norwegian attitudes toward both disorders were generally more positive than Puerto Rican attitudes. The average respondent identified slightly more than one fluency disorder, a higher percentage for stuttering than cluttering and higher for adults than children. Cluttering-stuttering was rarely identified. CONCLUSION Given a lay definition, this study confirmed that adults from diverse cultures hold attitudes toward cluttering that are similar to-but somewhat less positive than-their attitudes toward stuttering. It also confirmed that adults can identify cluttering among people they know, although less commonly than stuttering. Design controls in this study assured that consideration of stuttering did not affect either the attitudes or identification results for cluttering. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES The reader will be able to: (a) describe the effects-or lack thereof-of considerations of stuttering on attitudes toward cluttering; (b) describe differences in public identification of children and adults who either clutter or stutter; (c) describe differences between attitudes toward cluttering and stuttering in Norway and Puerto Rico.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hilda Sønsterud
- Statped, Department of Speech and Language Disorders, Oslo, Norway
| | - Edna J Carlo
- University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
St Louis KO, Williams MJ, Ware MB, Guendouzi J, Reichel IK. The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and Bipolar Adjective Scale (BAS): aspects of validity. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2014; 50:36-50. [PMID: 24929998 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
|
29
|
St Louis KO, Przepiorka AM, Beste-Guldborg A, Williams MJ, Blachnio A, Guendouzi J, Reichel IK, Ware MB. Stuttering attitudes of students: Professional, intracultural, and international comparisons. JOURNAL OF FLUENCY DISORDERS 2014; 39:34-50. [PMID: 24759192 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2013.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2013] [Revised: 08/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Agata Blachnio
- The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abdalla F, St. Louis KO. Modifying Attitudes of Arab School Teachers Toward Stuttering. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2014; 45:14-25. [PMID: 24687764 DOI: 10.1044/2013_lshss-13-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
Collapse
|
31
|
Przepiorka AM, Blachnio A, St Louis KO, Wozniak T. Public attitudes toward stuttering in Poland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2013; 48:703-714. [PMID: 24165366 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aneta M Przepiorka
- Institute of Psychology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|