Concepts of Family Support in Stuttering: A Multicultural Perspective

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify how people who stutter (PWS) from racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds describe and perceive the types of stuttering support they received from their family members. Method: A qualitative research paradigm was adopted for data collection and analysis procedures. A group of 36 participants from racially/ethnically diverse backgrounds were asked to respond to an online survey about their perceptions of family support. Data were investigated using thematic analysis procedures. Results: The data gave rise to 12 major themes. Types of familial support that were perceived as positive included families being patient, offering support in general, listening empathetically, seeking outside resources, and providing varying degrees of attention to their family member's stuttering. Familial support that participants described as negative included families passing judgment, teasing, and punishing their family member who stutters. Participants also negatively perceived family members telling them to slow down, finishing their sentences, and not openly discussing their stuttering. Instances of participants experiencing no positive or no negative forms of stuttering support from their families were also reported. Conclusions: Two primary types of stuttering support captured in the findings of this study were conversation-based and reaction-based support, both of which represented family members' actions that were perceived as positive and negative by participants. Clinical implications include the need for culturally appropriate client–parent education and for the consideration of individuals' preferences for stuttering support.