title: Self-acceptance of stuttering: A preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explored the relationship between self-acceptance of stuttering and (1) psychosocial factors (self-esteem, hostility towards others, emotional support, and perceived discrimination); (2) treatment history (support group participation, therapy duration, and perceived therapy success); and (3) previously reported variables in self-acceptance of stuttering, which include age and stuttering severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 80 adults who stutter who were recruited with assistance from the National Stuttering Association and Board Certified Specialists in Fluency Disorders. Participants completed an electronic survey composed of an acceptance of stuttering scale, psychosocial scales, and a participant information questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis identified significant correlations between participants' reports of self-acceptance of stuttering and self-esteem, perceived discrimination, hostility towards others, and perceived therapy outcome. Self-esteem was positively correlated with self-acceptance, while hostility towards others and perceived discrimination was negatively correlated with self-acceptance. Participants who perceived their therapy outcome to be successful were significantly more likely to report higher levels of self-acceptance. No significant relationships were found between self-acceptance of stuttering and support group participation, emotional support, stuttering severity, and participant age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This exploratory investigation has provided a foundation for future studies on the self-acceptance of stuttering. The findings indicate common psychosocial variables in self-acceptance of stuttering and of other disabilities. The significant relationships between self-acceptance of stuttering and psychosocial and therapeutic variables found need to be further explored to identify its causalities and clinical implications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The reader will be able to (1) discuss the importance of assessing self-acceptance of stuttering, (2) summarize the literature on self-acceptance of disability, and (3) describe the significant findings related to self-acceptance of stuttering and psychosocial, therapeutic variables.
authors.affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Department of Communicative Disorders, P.O. Box 43170, Lafayette, LA 70504-3170, United States. Electronic address: txd9460@louisiana.edu.
authors.forename: Thales
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Nardo
authors.affiliation: University of Toledo, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Speech-Language Pathology, 2801 Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, United States. Electronic address: Rodney.Gabel@utoledo.edu.
authors.forename: Rodney M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gabel
authors.affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 43170 (CODI), Lafayette, LA 70504-3170, United States. Electronic address: tetnowski@louisiana.edu.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tetnowski
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders, MSC 177A, 700 University Blvd., Kingsville, TX 78363-8202, United States. Electronic address: Kuers003@tamuk.edu.
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Swartz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D063508:Social Discrimination; D012944:Social Support; D013342:Stuttering / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acceptance; Hostility; Perceived discrimination; Self-esteem; Stuttering; Successful therapy