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From: Ellen-Marie Silverman
Date: 20 Oct 2012
Time: 10:59:21 -0500
Remote Name: 76.228.192.184
[[What do you think will happen in the next 10-20 in terms of stuttering treatment and research? ]] Hello, Tom. I have a feeling that others also are asking themselves the same questions you have posed here. Ken St. Louis, for one, and I for another. I am going to respond by stating that I hope those who are or will conduct research relating to stuttering and the consumers of that research pause to reflect anew on what aready has been accomplished. >>> Almost, without exception, the research done everywhere in the world has been driven by what you suggested as the desire to find the cause or causes of stuttering problems so as to determine a way, or ways, of successfully managing the problem. And, as you know, there is no consensus based on the findings generated primarily by applying quantitative research methodology. This has led some to feel quite discouraged, and reasonably so, since the goal of discovering how people with stuttering problems differ from those who do not have stuttering problems does not seem to have been realized. But I would like to suggest here that this, of itself, is no reason to feel discouraged. In fact, I will go out on a limb, perhaps, by suggesting that this very same general outcome may be viewed as something as encouraging. The consensus of many interpeting the data that we who have or have had stuttering problems seem to think, feel, and behave in many ways as do people who do not have or never have had a stuttering problem can help us see ourselves clearly enough to be unwilling to adopt the persona of "different" or "outsider." >> Yes. We do stumble, block, or repeat sounds or words sometimes. But this is something we can learn to do with increasing ease. That is the easy part. The harder part for some of us is to recognize we are not different or "special" just because we sometimes stutter forcefully after years of thinking that we were because that is what we occasionally do. But looking at the years and years of research data that indicate we are not fundamentally different from people who do not have stuttering problems should encourage us to live as though we are not, which will help us live fuller, brighter lives. >>> So, Tom, I see a future where we all attend to our similarities at least as much as we do our differences and allow that outlook to guide us all to be fully contributing members of society. >>> Thanks, Tom, for asking this question because I think we need to look more realistically at what we already have done as researchers and clinicians and to apply the conclusions we reach to help create a brighter future. Best, Ellen-Marie Silverman