A pilot study of an online self-compassion intervention for adults who stutter

Abstract

Purpose

The primary aim of this pilot study was to determine the preliminary effectiveness of an online self-compassion intervention for improving self-compassion and quality of life in adults who stutter. A secondary aim was to determine intervention acceptability and participant satisfaction.

Method

Participants included adults who stutter who completed an online self-compassion module once a week for six consecutive weeks. Pre- and post-intervention measures included the Self-Compassion Scale-Trait and the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering. Participants also completed acceptability questionnaires weekly and post-intervention via quantitative and qualitative reports.

Result

Ten participants completed all six intervention modules, as well as pre- and post-intervention measures. Participants reported increased self-compassion and improved quality of life at post-intervention, as well as high intervention acceptability with regard to delivery format, content, duration, and relevance to stuttering and daily life. Individual variation was also observed across acceptability domains.

Conclusion

The present study provides pilot data supporting the use of online modules to increase self-compassion and decrease the negative impact of stuttering on the quality of life among adults who stutter. Future studies should employ larger sample sizes, compare outcomes to a control group, and determine if gains are maintained over time.

Keywords:

• stuttering
• adults who stutter
• self-compassion
• quality of life
• intervention
• online

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This project was completed with support from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under award number F31DC020117-01 awarded to the first author, the Blank Foundation Legacy Grant awarded to the second author, and the National Stuttering Association Canadeo Research Grant awarded to both authors.