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Re: Fear? or What?

From: Steve Hood
Date: 10/9/01
Time: 8:36:11 AM
Remote Name: 199.33.133.50

Comments

Hello, Bobby

Clinicians sometimes think they should "know all the answers." I think it is better that clinicians try to ask the kinds of questions that might help the PWS determine for himself some of the things that might be going on. So with this in mind, let me ask you some questions and see if this helps clarify your line of thinking. These questions might help you to clarify possible factors in general, and differentiate between the two different experiences you had.

1. Were there differences in what you anticipated would be the reaction from the instructor? The first time, you may have been uncertain as to whether she would or would not think you had a valid point. You may have been worried she would react negatively to your question, and may not have thought that your question was valid. By the time you spoke in class, you by then knew she reacted positively to your question... and that you had raised a valid point.

2. Were there differences in your perception of time-pressure? Before class, you might have been rushed to finish what you were saying prior to class. But talking in class, you had the floor, and presumably more time, since the instructor brought up the topic.

3. Even though the entire class was a large group of 35, did you feel like you were the "authority person" --- since the instructor deferred to you, and asked you if you would like to bring up the question you had?

4. Since you had already brought up the topic and explained it to the teacher, did this serve at all as a "practice run" that might in a partial way have prepared you for talking about it a second time, to the class?

5. Does it make a difference to you, whether or not you get off to a good start? With the instructor the first time, you got off to a bad start, and your stuttering went down hill from there. In class, you apparently got off to a good start, and your fluency increased from there.

These ideas may make some sense, or they may make absolutely not difference at all. It would be better if we discussed these in person, so that I could branch out with questions and probes based on your replys..... This is not possible in this written forum.

Let me close by saying that one of the frustrating things about stuttering is that even though you can make predictions (e.g., you thought it would be easier to talk with the prof as compared to the 35 class members) -- sometimes, your predictions prove to be incorrect. There are times when you would predict frequent and severe stuttering and you have little or none, and times then it is just the opposite. This is one of the paradoxes of stuttering.

Maybe others will reply with questions and further comments.


Last changed: September 14, 2005