Comparing public school teachers’ attitudes toward stuttering in Bosnia & Herzegovina and Egypt

Abstract

ABSTRACT Primarily, this study explored attitudes toward stuttering of public school teachers in two countries, Bosnia & Herzegovina (B&H) (n = 125) and Egypt (n = 58), in order to identify differences in stuttering attitudes, that may exist between the two samples. Secondarily, it compared teacher attitudes from B&H and Egypt with stuttering attitudes of non-teacher samples from these two countries as well as from teacher and non-teacher samples from other European and Middle Eastern countries. All samples utilized the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes – Stuttering (POSHA – S). Comparing mean ratings, teachers from B&H held significantly more positive (accurate and sensitive) stuttering attitudes than Egyptian teachers on a majority of POSHA – S items and summary scores. Lack of knowledge and geo-cultural differences between B&H and Egypt are likely major factors in explaining the differences observed. Teachers’ attitudes were no more positive than the attitudes of the public or parents in either country. They also confirmed a pattern from previous research showing more positive attitudes in European samples than Middle Eastern samples. Educating teachers about stuttering will contribute to creating a more favorable school environment for children who stutter.