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From: Ken St. Louis
Date: 10/17/02
Time: 9:06:16 AM
Remote Name: 157.182.12.205
Hi Nora,
Actually most of the published attitude studies in the literature that have shown that there is a stereotype of stutterers (people believing them to be shy, nervous, withdrawn, fearful, etc.) document stigma. This general stereotype has been replicated over and over.
Gordon Blood at Penn State presented a wonderful paper at the ASHA convention two years ago on stigma. I suggest you write to him for additional information.
I have been working with a number of others both in the US and in other countries to look at public attitudes toward stuttering internationally. We have found some fascinating (and some disturbing) things in our initial pilot studies. For example, whereas the public generally believes that stutterers can live a normal life, they are doubtful about their abilities to do such things as raise a family, get a job, make friends, and do well in school. I am working on expanding this study and hopefully will have a lot more to say about the subject of stuttering and stigma in the next few years.
Ken