Search

Purpose: Adults who stutter (AWS) have increased risk of comorbid social anxiety about speaking in social contexts. AWS also report experiencing embarrassment in different social situations; however, research has rarely been conducted on embarrassment and its relationship to social anxiety in AWS. Method: AWS (N = 200) reported their level of embarrassment on four 10-point Likert items when speaking in four situational contexts: at home, to an individual important to them, in social groups, and at work. Participants were also assessed for sociodemographic, stuttering, and anxiety variables. Construct validity for the four embarrassment items was examined, the extent of embarrassment established in the four contexts as a function of age and sex, and the relationship of embarrassment to social anxiety evaluated. Results: Evidence of acceptable construct validity and reliability is presented for the four embarrassment Likert items. Sixty-five percent of the sample experienced high levels of embarrassment when speaking in groups or at work, while 35.5% experienced high levels when speaking at home or to an individual important to them. Participants were significantly more embarrassed (p < 0.01) when speaking at work or when socializing in groups. Embarrassment was lowest when speaking in the home. Younger females were significantly more embarrassed when speaking at work or when socializing in groups. Those with high embarrassment scores on all four items were more likely to have elevated social anxiety scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that the assessment of situational embarrassment could be an important clinical measure that may help improve stuttering treatment outcomes that also target social anxiety.

Purpose: Adults who stutter (AWS) have increased risk of comorbid social anxiety about speaking in social contexts. AWS also report experiencing embarrassment in different social situations; however, research has rarely been conducted on embarrassment and its relationship to social anxiety in AWS. Method: AWS (N = 200) reported their level of embarrassment on four 10-point Likert items when speaking in four situational contexts: at home, to an individual important to them, in social groups, and at work. Participants were also assessed for sociodemographic, stuttering, and anxiety variables. Construct validity for the four embarrassment items was examined, the extent of embarrassment established in the four contexts as a function of age and sex, and the relationship of embarrassment to social anxiety evaluated. Results: Evidence of acceptable construct validity and reliability is presented for the four embarrassment Likert items. Sixty-five percent of the sample experienced high levels of embarrassment when speaking in groups or at work, while 35.5% experienced high levels when speaking at home or to an individual important to them. Participants were significantly more embarrassed (p < .01) when speaking at work or when socializing in groups. Embarrassment was lowest when speaking in the home. Younger females were significantly more embarrassed when speaking at work or when socializing in groups. Those with high embarrassment scores on all four items were more likely to have elevated social anxiety scores (p < .001). Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that the assessment of situational embarrassment could be an important clinical measure that may help improve stuttering treatment outcomes that also target social anxiety., Stuttering is a speech disorder involving repetition of syllables, prolongations, blocking of sounds, and substitutions of words (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Bloodstein & Bernstein Ratner, 2008). It can lead [...]

Purpose: Chronic disorder can impose a significant negative mental health burden. This research was conducted to explore factors that may protect people from the adversity of chronic stuttering. Method: The study employed a population group cohort design. Participants included 200 adults who have stuttered since childhood, and the sample was divided into those who were classified as resilient and nonresilient on the basis of their global psychopathology scores. Protective factor differences between the 2 groups were determined using multivariate analysis of variance and unique contributors to psychopathology were isolated using multiple regression. Results: Factors that significantly distinguished between groups included superior levels of health status, social support, vitality and social functioning, fewer physical limitations, and a greater sense of self-efficacy. Three unique contributors to adaptive outcomes were found: self-efficacy, social support, and healthy social functioning. Conclusions: A number of factors were isolated that potentially protect individuals with chronic stuttering from developing psychopathology. The findings provide a better understanding of how people cope with a chronic fluency disorder.

Purpose: Chronic disorder can impose a significant negative mental health burden. This research was conducted to explore factors that may protect people from the adversity of chronic stuttering. Method: The study employed a population group cohort design. Participants included 200 adults who have stuttered since childhood, and the sample was divided into those who were classified as resilient and nonresilient on the basis of their global psychopathology scores. Protective factor differences between the 2 groups were determined using multivariate analysis of variance and unique contributors to psychopathology were isolated using multiple regression. Results: Factors that significantly distinguished between groups included superior levels of health status, social support, vitality and social functioning, fewer physical limitations, and a greater sense of self-efficacy. Three unique contributors to adaptive outcomes were found: self-efficacy, social support, and healthy social functioning. Conclusions: A number of factors were isolated that potentially protect individuals with chronic stuttering from developing psychopathology. The findings provide a better understanding of how people cope with a chronic fluency disorder. Key Words: resilience, psychopathology, distress, chronic disorder, stuttering, self-efficacy, social support, Chronic disorder is often associated with negative adverse outcomes including elevated risks of psychopathology and lowered quality of life (QOL; Bonanno & Mancini, 2008; Craig, in press; Monroe & Reid, [...]