An exploratory study of some learning-based procedures for modifying stuttering

Abstract

Fifteen stutterers read aloud, three times in succession, a list of 75 common monosyllable nouns. Words that were consistently stuttered or spoken with consistent fluency were the test elements of this study. In the experimental conditions, half of these words were audibly presented to the subjects in quick succession. In the matched silent condition, the other half of the consistently stuttered or fluent words were not repetitively presented. After each of these situations, the subjects orally read the original word list three additional times. The consistency of stuttering decreased significantly in both the auditory and silent conditions. Less absolute stuttering occurred in the auditory condition than in the silent condition but, apparently because of sample size, significance was not reached. Consistent fluency, like consistent stuttering, was demonstrated to be a reliable phenomenon. The consistency of stuttering and fluency is viewed in conditioning terms; the decrease in stuttering is viewed in deconditioning terms.