Attitudes, Anxiety and Coping Strategies in Persons with Stuttering

Abstract

People who stutter (PWS) tend to have increased levels of anxiety compared to people who do not stutter (PWNS), particularly in social situations. Coping behaviors in the developing or chronic stuttering problem can take many forms and change with experience. The present study has the following objectives as to how: (a) attitudes and coping strategies differ with respect to severity of stuttering, (b) attitudes and coping strategies differ with respect to chronicity of stuttering, (c) attitudes and coping strategies differ with respect to relapses, and to study (d) the relationship between attitude, anxiety and coping in PWS. This was carried out in two phases: in phase I a questionnaire containing thirty-jive questions was prepared in English pertaining to attitudes, anxiety and coping strategies seen in PWS which was administered to all the participants individually. The participants included were thirty individuals in the age range of 10-40 years, diagnosed as having stuttering by qualified speech language pathologists. These included 10 new PWS who had not taken therapy earlier, JO PWS who had undergone therapy and had improved and JO PWS who had undergone therapy and have had relapses. It was seen that the scores of attitudes in PWS in the new and relapse groups were much higher than the post therapy group where there was increased anxiety about speaking situation when meeting new people/superiors and hence avoided speaking. Regarding the coping strategies in PWS it was found that there was no significant difference (p>0. 05). The participants included in one month follow up after therapy and relapse group had changes in attitudes, anxiety and coping strategies. It was also seen that most of the PWS had negative feelings such as fluent periods may not last long. PWS differed in attitudes, anxiety and coping strategies in mild and moderate severity groups. Therefore it can be pointed out that PWS do have attitudes, anxiety problem and adopt various coping strategies. This can also be seen at various severity levels. Therefore it may be concluded that PWS do suffer from negative feelings, inferiority complexes, anxiety related to stuttering and personality changes which could be changed with treatment. All these above mentioned factors cause fear of stuttering and this in turn leads to avoidance of speaking situations.