Protection from harm: the experience of adults after therapy with prolonged-speech.
BACKGROUND
It is well documented that adults can control stuttering if they use certain novel speech patterns referred to generically as prolonged-speech (PS). These speech patterns were refined in the 1960s and developed into behavioural treatment programmes. The bulk of available PS treatment research has focused on speech parameters thought to reflect favourable treatment outcome. Considering this, and that post-treatment relapse is known to be common, clinicians and researchers could be usefully informed by knowledge about the experiences of those who receive these treatments. Subsequently, they could use such information in attempts to control stuttering in their clients. Yet, at present, systematic research on this topic is scant.


OBJECTIVE
The continued development of PS treatments could be usefully informed by research into the experiences of those who use PS to control stuttering. Hence, that is the topic of the present report.


METHODS
The method used was phenomenology. Participants were a purposive sample of 10 people who had received PS treatment. During a 2-year period, a collaborative approach to the study of the topic was developed between the participants and interviewer. Interviews were from 1.5 to 2 hours, and a total of 34 interviews and discussions were undertaken with participants. Transcripts of these were used to generate text from which themes were identified using line-by-line, holistic and selective approaches.


RESULTS
The main findings were that even after therapy with PS there is a continued risk of stuttering occurring, and although adults have the novel experience of controlling stuttering, they also continue to experience feeling different from those who do not stutter, which may be exacerbated after therapy. Given the negative consequences associated with stuttering and feeling different, the essence of the experience after therapy with PS is that adults use their own resources to integrate behavioural skills with existing experiences in order to protect themselves from the harm of stuttering as best they can. PS changes speech, but not the dynamic and often unpredictable communication situations of everyday life. Hence, the maximum benefits of PS are attained when clients use a strategic approach to control stuttered speech and daily communication.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are consistent with the results of existing outcome research as well as with other current research from the present group. Their implications are discussed in relation to the structure of PS treatments as well as in relation to future PS outcome research. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed in terms of informing prospective clients of the experiential consequences of PS, selecting clients who might benefit from PS and in terms of assisting clients to achieve optimal benefits from PS.
Australian Stuttering Research Centre, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia.
Angela
A
Cream
Mark
M
Onslow
Ann
A
Packman
Gwynnyth
G
Llewellyn
D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013342:Stuttering / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014705:Verbal Behavior