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From: Nathan Lavid
Date: 10/7/02
Time: 11:20:28 PM
Remote Name: 66.171.15.57
Mr. Feuer,
Thank you for your comments. While my article does not address or endorse empirical treatment for stuttering, I do believe an integrated, multidisciplinary approach is best. Within this approach, I believe there is room for empathic, knowledgeable clinicians whether they stutter or not. I’ll leave definitions of pseudo-stuttering and educational requirements for the anointed.
Like you mention, perception of one’s stuttering greatly influences fluency. However, I disagree with your recommendation on how to change this perception. Rather than addressing a “fragmented self,” I am more inclined to address the underlying problem, i.e., the stuttering and the anticipatory anxiety. I have found, as many of my colleagues, that patient’s perceptions improve in line with their progress in treatment. Moreover, prior trains of thought, which addressed psychological conflict, never lived up to their billing.
You do, secondarily, address an important point. There is a lack of prospective investigation of the efficacy of stuttering therapies and while I disagree with your approach focusing on a fragmented self, it should not be discounted. Formulating your treatment recommendations in manner that can be applied and subjected to scientific scrutiny would be beneficial. Nathan