Gerlach-Houck Hope, Kubart Kristel, Cage Eilidh
Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo.
American Institute for Stuttering, New York, NY.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2023 Jan 17;54(1):96-113. doi: 10.1044/2022_LSHSS-22-00029. Epub 2022 Nov 3.
The purpose of this study was to explore experiences with concealing stuttering in children and young people who stutter based on recollections from adults. In addition, we explored how school-based speech therapists can be helpful or unhelpful to children who are concealing stuttering from the perspective of adults who stutter.
Thirty adults who stutter, who previously or currently conceal stuttering, participated in semistructured interviews exploring their early experiences with hiding stuttering. Purposeful and random sampling was used to diversify experiences and opinions. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop themes and subthemes to describe participants' experiences.
All participants in the study reported beginning to conceal stuttering at 18 years of age or younger, with more than two thirds sharing that they began in elementary school. Participants reported that exposure to implicit and explicit ableist messaging about stuttering and traumatic social experiences at school contributed to their inclination to hide disfluencies. Many participants described concealment as a strategy for protecting themselves from stigma. Several participants condemned fluency shaping, calling it harmful and likening it to teaching concealment. Participants believed that speech therapists could be helpful by promoting safe and supportive school environments and by being responsive to the social and emotional challenges that can accompany speaking differently and navigating stigma at school.
Some children who stutter may attempt to protect themselves from stigma by concealing their disfluencies, but doing so can feel isolating and confusing. Speech therapists can play an important role in making the school environment safer and more supportive for children who stutter.
本研究旨在基于成年人的回忆，探索口吃儿童和青少年隐瞒口吃的经历。此外，我们还从成年口吃者的角度，探讨了学校言语治疗师对隐瞒口吃的儿童可能有帮助或无帮助的方面。
30名成年口吃者，他们曾隐瞒或正在隐瞒口吃，参与了半结构化访谈，探讨他们早期隐瞒口吃的经历。采用目的抽样和随机抽样相结合的方法，以使经历和观点更加多样化。运用反思性主题分析法来提炼主题和子主题，以描述参与者的经历。
研究中的所有参与者均表示在18岁及以下开始隐瞒口吃，超过三分之二的人表示他们从小学就开始了。参与者报告称，学校里对口吃的隐含和明确的能力主义信息以及创伤性社交经历，促使他们倾向于隐藏言语不流畅。许多参与者将隐瞒描述为一种保护自己免受污名化的策略。一些参与者谴责流畅性塑造，称其有害，并将其比作教授隐瞒行为。参与者认为，言语治疗师可以通过营造安全且支持性的学校环境，以及应对因说话方式不同和在学校应对污名化而可能伴随的社会和情感挑战，来提供帮助。
一些口吃儿童可能会试图通过隐瞒言语不流畅来保护自己免受污名化，但这样做可能会让人感到孤立和困惑。言语治疗师在为口吃儿童营造更安全、更具支持性的学校环境方面可以发挥重要作用。
