Why do people who stutter attend stuttering support groups?
Nicola E Bloye, Shabnam S Abdoola, Casey J Eslick
PMID 37782242WHAT IT FOUND
People who stutter attended support groups to find acceptance, reduce isolation, and learn coping strategies from peers.
They valued a safe environment where they were not judged and appreciated speech-language therapists who collaborated with them rather than just observing.
Key findings
01Most participants reported that attending support groups positively altered their perception of their stutter, with many citing increased self-acceptance and improved confidence.
02Participants valued the sense of community, noting that realizing they were not alone reduced feelings of isolation and helped them cope with their stuttering.
03Participants appreciated having speech-language therapists as facilitators who shared knowledge and collaborated with them, rather than just observing the group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study involved a small sample of 13 participants from two specific groups in South Africa, limiting generalizability to other contexts or populations. Participants were selected based on their attendance at support groups, which may exclude perspectives from those who tried and left, or never attended. The reliance on self-reported perceptions means the study describes subjective experiences rather than measuring objective outcomes like fluency improvement.
Declared interests
The study received ethical clearance from the University of Pretoria. No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that support groups directly improve speech fluency or psychological outcomes in a measurable, clinical sense. The study reports participants' subjective perceptions and reasons for attending, not objective efficacy data.