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From: John Tetnowski
Date: 19 Oct 2011
Time: 14:39:11 -0500
Remote Name: 76.72.16.31
Let me hans the question of how to treat a teen who stutters. I think that too many SLPs believe that there is one treatment program for all teens who stutter. Certainly, there is a paucity of research in this area. It was recently addressed in an opinion piece by the editor of LSHSS. I agree with the editor that this is a fertile area for research, but I also believe that the way we measure success is very important in this debate. Just yesterday, I was working with a teen who stutters and she told me her goal was to "accept" herself as a person who stutters and to learn a technique that she could use only when she "really needed to". Other teens may seek total fluency. This is why there is not a single answer to your question. For now, I suggest that you have many "tools" in your assessment "toolkit", and assess the needs and desires and motivations of the teen and their parents. These tools should include a reliable and valid assessment of speech behaviors, but also tools to assess feelings, emotions, fears, attitudes, etc. Thanks, John Tetnowski