Correlations Between Stuttering Severity and Satisfaction With Life, Self-Acceptance, Self-Compassion, and Avoidance in People Who Stutter: Variability by Sources of Support

Abstract

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate correlations between stuttering severity and satisfaction with life (SWL), self-acceptance (SA), self-compassion (SC), and avoidance among people who stutter (PWS) and did seek support or did not seek support from family, friends, and the National Stuttering Association (NSA). Method: This study surveyed 47 self-identified PWS from a larger study in order to obtain information on background, avoidance, SA, SWL, and SC. Correlation analyses were used to examine concurrent associations. Results: Stuttering severity was significantly correlated with lower SA and higher avoidance among PWS who did not seek support from friends. Stuttering severity was not significantly correlated with lower SA, lower SC, or higher avoidance among PWS who sought support from friends or family. However, correlations between stuttering severity and lower SWL were similarly strong and significant among PWS who did and did not seek support from friends and from family. Stuttering severity was significantly correlated with lower SA and lower SWL among PWS who sought support from the NSA, but not correlated with these variables among PWS who did not seek support from the NSA. Conclusions: Correlations between greater stuttering severity and lowered SWL, SA, SC, and increased avoidance were not reduced with presence of formal support (i.e., NSA) but were nonsignificant with support from friends in some cases. Additional research is needed to address why a person is more or less likely to seek support and the impact support has on the life of the person. The clinical implications involve determining help-seeking behavior and the potential barriers to help-seeking.