A 2015 Snapshot of Stuttering Research

Where we have been. Where we are
going-
The NSA thanks Scott Yaruss, PhD for
compiling this information and
advocating for people affected by
stuttering.
Stuttering: No Small Issue with Recent
Big Breakthroughs
In the United States alone, more than
3 million people live with the effects
of stuttering. The disorder affects
roughly 70 million worldwide.
Recent research has shown
tremendous promise for uncovering
the genetic neurological causes of
stuttering. Studies have highlighted
specific regions of the brain—those
generally associated with the
formulation of language and the
production of speech movements—
that develop differently in people who
stutter. Researchers have also
identified genetic differences that are
associated with the occurrence of
stuttering within families.
Treatment research has highlighted
new ways of combining speaking
strategies with emotional and
cognitive support to reduce negative
reactions. Further, hope exists with
novel treatments such as
pharmaceutical intervention.
Finally, a small but growing number
of studies have hinted at the valuable
role that self-help can play in helping
people overcome the challenges
associated with stuttering.

Stuttering Research Hampered by Lack
of Funding-
Unfortunately, progress in such
research is hampered by a lack of
funding. Spending on both basic and
clinical science at the federal level
has diminished dramatically in recent
years. University research programs
have increasingly come under
pressure to cut budgets which makes
it harder for faculty to pursue labor-
intensive research projects.
The cost of research has continued
to rise, effectively reducing the
number of studies that can be
supported.
Funding from nonprofit organizations
and foundations is needed to fulfill the
promise of recent scientific and clinical
advances and to propel the research
forward.
We desperately need sustained
funding for established lines of
research, as well as for the
sponsoring of research endeavors
that may not be prioritized by federal
research agencies. We also need
funding to explore new methods and
ideas that may ultimately lead to
important breakthroughs in our
knowledge about stuttering.
Without funding it will be difficult to
maintain or expand upon recent
progress in stuttering research. With
funding there is tremendous hope for
a future in which scientists and
clinicians achieve a better
understanding of stuttering, and
people who stutter obtain better
access to effective treatment and
support.
Stuttering is not a psychological
disorder, but has a psychological
impact
Early observations of stuttering noted
the intense emotional problems
experienced by those with stuttering
disorders. Early speculation
suggested a purely emotional trigger
to stuttering. Children were often
prescribed psychotherapy in an
attempt to correct their speech. Other
theorists attempted to find the source
traumas that may have caused their
disorders. Some were taught to never
draw attention to a child’s stuttering,
believing that the additional
embarrassment would worsen the
condition.
As a result, countless children who
stutter grew up wondering what was
wrong with them—why they “couldn’t
even speak”—with no one to console
or support them as they struggled to
express themselves.
Today, we know that stuttering is not
caused by psychological trauma,
unsupportive comments by parents,
neurosis, or other people talking
about their speech. We understand
that difficulties with verbal
expression have significant
psychological consequences for both
children and adults who stutter, but
the root cause of stuttering is not of
a psychological nature.
The inability to express oneself can
be a prison and the ever present fear
of embarrassment a heavy burden.
The evolution of our understanding of
stuttering has lessened the isolation
and ignorance so many faced in
years past, yet we remain largely
uncertain of the interplay between the
physiological and psychological
components of stuttering that only
research can reveal.
Fluency is elusive for many, but better
communication is within reach
Some theorists have hypothesized
that stuttering is simply due to
inappropriate use of the speech
mechanism. Consequently, various
speech techniques have been
developed in an attempt to train
people who stutter to literally speak
differently. This training includes the
use of learned speech patterns that
are believed to be “incompatible with
stuttering.”
Such strategies do appear to be
effective in the short term. Many
speech therapists have
enthusiastically implored their clients
to “hit their targets” and “use their
techniques.”
The unfortunate result is a generation
of people who have grown up with
the mistaken conviction that they
could stop stuttering if they only tried
hard enough. If only they used the
methods taught to them, the fluency
would flourish, they are told. With
this mindset, a person who stutters
is failing to use his or her tools and
is, therefore, failing.
Artificial speech methods and fluency
tricks prove difficult for most people,
and the attempt to achieve the
unachievable places a tremendous
emotional and physical burden on
people who are already struggling
with the ability to say what they want
to say. Those who do not stutter
cannot imagine the level of
concentration required to reshape
one’s method of speech on a
constant basis.
Clinical researchers have developed
more comprehensive methods of
treatment that can help people say
what they want to say more easily,
communicate more effectively, and
live fuller lives. Yet, studies have
shown that the majority of speech-
language pathologists are
unfortunately not familiar with
effective methods of stuttering
therapy, so many people who stutter
continue to struggle without access
to appropriate therapy.
We have to not only fund research,
but also more effectively share what
the studies are showing in order to
eradicate unsuccessful therapies and
techniques and empower people who
stutter and their therapists.
Progress has been made, but a long
road is ahead
Research has shown that stuttering
is not caused by psychological
pressure or behavioral abnormalities.
It is not caused by parental
mishandling of normal speech or
incorrect speech production.
Stuttering has been shown to be a
genetically influenced, neurological
condition associated with observable,
measurable differences in both the
structure and function of the brain.
People who stutter are not doing
anything wrong; they are simply
doing the best they can with a
neurological system that is not wired
for the production of smooth speech.
The shame and stigma that has
resulted from inaccurate views about
the disorder and inadequate therapy
directly contribute to the adverse
impact that many people who stutter
experience in their lives.
The scientific and clinical
shortcomings of the past highlight
the need for more and better
research on the nature, cause,
evaluation, and treatment of
stuttering in the future. Only through
careful, focused research of the
disorder and its consequences will
researchers and therapists be able to
improve clinical services and reduce
the burden experienced by people
who stutter.
You can help-
Every dollar contributed to funding
research is one step further to a
cure. If not the NSA, then who will
take this on? If not now, then when?
Visit the donate button on the NSA
website, select research and let’s
crack the code! The next generation
is relying on us.

Culled from http://www.westutter.org/know-stuttering-research/