Moazeni Atefeh, Shamsaee Mohammad Mahdi, Nakhshab Mahbubeh
Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Spiritual Health Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2025 Sep-Oct;60(5):e70102. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.70102.
Stuttering is a chronic condition that requires long-term management. Previous research emphasizes that motivation plays a critical role in therapy success. Motivation is an intrinsic process that drives and directs behaviour, making it a key determinant in whether individuals continue or discontinue therapy.
This study aims to explore the factors influencing the motivation of adults who stutter to continue therapy, focusing on identifying themes and insights related to therapy continuation.
A qualitative content analysis approach was used, involving 24 adults aged 30 to 40 who stutter. Participants were recruited through purposeful and snowball sampling from social media groups of the Iranian Stuttering Association and speech and language pathologists' platforms. Participants were divided into two groups: those who chose to continue their speech therapy (n = 11) and those who decided to discontinue it (n = 13). Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted online, which were analysed using content analysis to identify themes and subthemes related to the motivation of continuing stuttering therapy.
The study identified six key themes that influence motivation to continue therapy: therapist characteristics, therapy structure and process, therapeutic setting and tools, perceived treatment effectiveness, client psychological dynamics, and social support and perception. These themes played a critical role in shaping clients' motivation and their decision to persist in therapy.
This research underscores that a strong therapeutic alliance, along with supportive family and social environments, can enhance motivation by fulfilling basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). These needs can be addressed by focusing on effective therapeutic interactions, minimizing ambiguity in the treatment process, designing tailored treatment plans based on each client's unique goals and circumstances, fostering active participation, and providing constructive feedback.
What is already known on this subject Stuttering requires long-term management, and motivation is a critical factor influencing therapy continuity and outcomes. However, the specific factors that motivate adults who stutter to continue or discontinue therapy have not been extensively explored. What this study adds to the existing knowledge This study identifies key themes influencing motivation for continuing or discontinuing stuttering therapy, including individualized treatment plans, therapist characteristics, and supportive environments. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The findings emphasize the importance of personalized treatment approaches, competent therapists, and supportive therapeutic environments in enhancing motivation to continue stuttering therapy. These insights can inform the development of more effective stuttering treatment programmes and support systems, fostering sustained engagement until clients achieve their therapy goals.
口吃是一种需要长期管理的慢性疾病。先前的研究强调动机在治疗成功中起着关键作用。动机是一种驱动和引导行为的内在过程，使其成为个体是否继续或停止治疗的关键决定因素。
本研究旨在探讨影响口吃成年人继续治疗动机的因素，重点是确定与治疗持续相关的主题和见解。
采用定性内容分析方法，涉及24名年龄在30至40岁之间的口吃成年人。通过有目的的抽样和滚雪球抽样从伊朗口吃协会的社交媒体群组以及言语和语言病理学家平台招募参与者。参与者分为两组：选择继续言语治疗的（n = 11）和决定停止治疗的（n = 13）。通过在线进行半结构化深入访谈收集数据，使用内容分析来确定与继续口吃治疗动机相关的主题和子主题。
该研究确定了影响继续治疗动机的六个关键主题：治疗师特征、治疗结构和过程、治疗环境和工具、感知到的治疗效果、客户心理动态以及社会支持和认知。这些主题在塑造客户的动机及其坚持治疗的决定方面发挥了关键作用。
本研究强调，强大的治疗联盟以及支持性的家庭和社会环境，可以通过满足基本心理需求（自主性、能力和关联性）来增强动机。可以通过关注有效的治疗互动、减少治疗过程中的不确定性、根据每个客户的独特目标和情况设计量身定制的治疗计划、促进积极参与以及提供建设性反馈来满足这些需求。
关于该主题的已知信息 口吃需要长期管理，动机是影响治疗连续性和结果的关键因素。然而，促使口吃成年人继续或停止治疗的具体因素尚未得到广泛探讨。本研究对现有知识的补充 本研究确定了影响继续或停止口吃治疗动机的关键主题，包括个性化治疗计划、治疗师特征和支持性环境。这项工作的潜在或实际临床意义是什么？研究结果强调了个性化治疗方法、称职的治疗师和支持性治疗环境在增强继续口吃治疗动机方面的重要性。这些见解可以为制定更有效的口吃治疗方案和支持系统提供参考，促进持续参与直至客户实现治疗目标。
