The Communication Benefits of Participation in Camp Dream. Speak. Live.: An Extension and Replication.

School-based guidelines often require that treatment focuses on minimizing or eliminating stuttered speech. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of explicit training in communication competencies to children who stutter without targeting stuttered speech. Thirty-seven children (ages 4-16) completed Camp Dream. Speak. Live., an intensive group treatment program which targets the psychosocial needs and communication of children who stutter. Outcome measures included the , the , and the and . Pre- and posttreatment public presentations were rated on nine core verbal and nonverbal communication competencies by a neutral observer. Similar to previous studies, participants demonstrated significant improvements in communication attitudes () and perceived ability to establish peer relationships (), particularly school-aged participants (ages 7-16). Participants also demonstrated significant improvement in eight of the nine communication competencies. Findings suggest that, in addition to the psychosocial gains of programs such as Camp Dream. Speak. Live., children who stutter benefit from explicit training in communication skills, and these gains are not dependent on the presence of stuttered speech.