Recurrent involuntary imagery in people who stutter and people who do not stutter.
OBJECTIVE
To compare intrusive memories in groups of people who do (PWS), and who do not (PWNS), stutter.


METHODS
Twenty-one participants who stuttered and 21 matched controls were given a semi-structured interview which explored imagery in speaking situations. The data were analyzed using a Content Analysis approach. Other outcome measures were the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, Symptom Scale: Self-Report Version.


RESULTS
Significantly more stuttering participants than control participants indicated both recurrent imagery and associated memories. Content Analysis revealed themes of disfluency, anxiety, negative social evaluation, self-focus and pressure to speak that were common to both groups' reports. Additional themes of helplessness, shame, sadness and frustration were found only in the images and memories of the stuttering group. No group differences were evident for the number of sensory modalities involved in images and memories, or for ratings of their vividness or strength of associated emotions, or on self-reports of depression, anxiety and trauma.


CONCLUSIONS
Recurrent imagery about events in childhood is a potent factor in the memories of PWS. It is worth modifying interventions that have been successfully applied for treating social anxiety for use with people who stutter.


OBJECTIVE
After reading this article, participants will be able to: (a) identify the role of intrusive memories in psychiatric disorders and stuttering; (b) investigate how DSM criteria can be employed with people who stutter; (c) employ anxiety instruments used for assessing psychiatric disorders for stuttering; (d) distinguish between the intrusive memories experienced by people who stutter, and people who do not stutter; (e) apply treatments for intrusive memories in psychiatric disorders to work with people who stutter.
Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
Helen
H
Tudor
Stephen
S
Davis
Chris R
CR
Brewin
Peter
P
Howell
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D013342:Stuttering / Q000523:psychology*
Anxiety; Intrusive memories; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Recurrent imagery; Stuttering