Relations between causal attributions for stuttering and psychological well-being in adults who stutter

Abstract

Purpose: This study attempted to understand the relationship between causal attributions for stuttering and psychological well-being in adults who stutter.

Method: The study employed a cross-sectional design using a web survey distribution mode to gain information related to causal attributions and psychological well-being of 348 adults who stutter. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine relationships between participants’ causal attributions (i.e. locus of causality, external control, personal control, stability, biological attributions, non-biological attributions) for stuttering and various measures of psychological well-being including self-stigma, self-esteem/self-efficacy, hope, anxiety and depression.

Result: Results indicated that higher perceptions of external control of stuttering were related to significantly lower ratings of hope and self-esteem/self-efficacy and higher ratings of anxiety and depression. Higher perceptions of personal control of stuttering were related to significantly lower ratings of self-stigma and higher ratings of hope and self-esteem/self-efficacy. Increased biological attributions were significantly related to higher ratings of permanency and unchangeableness of stuttering and lower ratings of personal control of stuttering.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the importance of instilling a sense of control in PWS regarding their ability to manage their stuttering. Findings also raise questions regarding the benefits of educating PWS about the biological underpinnings of stuttering.

Keywords::

• Stuttering
• psychosocial
• dysfluency

Acknowledgements

This research project was supported by a Dean's Incentive Grant and a Community Engagement Grant from the College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University. Thanks to Chelsea Heitman for assisting with survey distribution and to Crystal Guzman and Chris Kuykendall for help with gathering references. Thank you to the Board Certified Specialists in Fluency Disorders, as well as the members of the National Stuttering Association who helped greatly with participant recruitment for this study. Thank you to all the participants in this research study.

Declaration of interest: The author received two grants from the College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University to support this research. The author reports no other conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.