Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing.
Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2021 Jan 27;30(1):75-88. doi: 10.1044/2020_AJSLP-20-00112. Epub 2020 Nov 16.
Purpose It has long been known that stuttering behaviors vary across time and situation. Preliminary evidence suggests that this variability negatively affects people who stutter and that stuttering behaviors are more variable than adverse impact associated with stuttering. More information is needed to determine how variability affects people who stutter and what the clinical and research implications of variability may be. Method Two hundred and four adults who stutter participated in a mixed-methods study exploring (a) how variability of stuttering affects people who stutter in comparison to other aspects of the condition and (b) which aspects of the overall experience of stuttering are variable. Results Analyses indicated that variability is very commonly experienced by people who stutter and that it is among the most frustrating aspects of the condition. Qualitative analyses revealed that variability is experienced in all aspects of the stuttering condition, including the observable behavior other affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions; and the adverse impact of stuttering. Notable individual differences were found in terms of which specific aspects of the condition were more variable for different respondents. Overall, analyses revealed that the variability of different aspects of stuttering can be viewed in a hierarchy from most variable to least variable: aspects (e.g., frequency, duration), aspects (e.g., covert behaviors, physical tension), and experiences (e.g., negative thoughts, feelings, and self-image). Discussion These findings suggest that variability is a common and burdensome aspect of the experience of stuttering and underscore the importance of considering variability in stuttering behavior, reactions, and impact in research, assessment, and treatment for adults who stutter.
目的
长期以来，人们一直知道口吃行为会随时间和情况而变化。初步证据表明，这种可变性会对口吃者产生负面影响，而且口吃行为比与口吃相关的不利影响更具可变性。需要更多的信息来确定可变性如何影响口吃者，以及可变性可能具有哪些临床和研究意义。
方法
204 名口吃成年人参与了一项混合方法研究，旨在探索：(a) 口吃行为的可变性如何影响口吃者，与该病症的其他方面相比；(b) 口吃整体体验中哪些方面是可变的。
结果
分析表明，可变性是口吃者非常常见的体验，也是该病症最令人沮丧的方面之一。定性分析显示，可变性存在于口吃状况的所有方面，包括可观察到的行为以及其他情感、行为和认知反应；以及口吃的不利影响。在不同的受访者中，不同的条件方面具有更大的可变性，这存在显著的个体差异。总体而言，分析表明，口吃不同方面的可变性可以从最可变到最不可变的方面进行分层：方面（例如，频率、持续时间）、方面（例如，隐蔽行为、身体紧张）和方面（例如，负面想法、感觉和自我形象）。
讨论
这些发现表明，可变性是口吃体验的一个常见且负担沉重的方面，并强调了在研究、评估和治疗口吃成年人时，考虑口吃行为、反应和影响的可变性的重要性。
