The effect of instructional stimulation on the frequency of repetitions, interjections, and words spoken during the spontaneous speech of four stutterers

Abstract

The effect of instruction on repetitions, interjections, and words spoken during the spontaneous speech of four stutterers was investigated. Experiment I involved instructional stimulation regarding repetitions; Experiment II involved ins instructional stimulation regarding repetitions; Experiment II involved instructional stimulation concerning interjections. Both experiments were divided into three 18-min segments regarded as initial, instructional, and final segments, respectively. Two subjects served in each experiment. In Experiment I, introduction of instructions to “try not to repeat” was associated with no statistically significant change in the frequency of repetitions or words spoken. In Experiment II, introduction of instructions to “try not to interject” was associated with a significant decrease in frequency of interjections and words spoken for both subjects. Multiple Linear Regression analysis demonstrated that the experimental effects were not the result of one behavior's dependent relationship with another behavior. Knowledge of the frequency of one behavior could not generally be used for prediction of the frequency of another behavior. The differences in effect of instructions on the three behaviors measured, along with the results demonstrating the independence of these behaviors, emphasized the need for the molecular analysis and differential treatment of behaviors traditionally regarded as stuttering.