Attitudes toward Stuttering: A Look at Selected “Helping” Professions Ann Beste-Guldborg, PhD Nichole Campanale, MS
Attitudes toward Stuttering: A Look at Selected “Helping” Professions
Ann Beste-Guldborg, PhD Nichole Campanale, MS
Review of the Literature: – Listeners often hold negative views of stuttering and people who stutter (Abdalla &
St. Louis, 2011; Allard & Williams, 2008; Cooper & Cooper, 1996; Klassen, 2001; Mayo, Mayo, Jenkins, & Graves, 2004; Mitchell,
McMahon, & McKee, 2005).
– Many professionals who interact with, support, and have influence over people
who stutter are among those with negative attitudes
– Teachers (Abdalla & ST. Louis, 2011; Crowe & Walton, 1981; Irani, Abdalla, & Gabel, 2012)
– School Administrators (Lass, et al.,1994; Yeakle & Cooper, 1986)
– Health Care Workers (Silverman & Bongey, 1997; Yairi & Carrico, 1992)
– Employers (Hurst & Cooper, 1983)
– Vocab Rehab Counselors (Hurst & Cooper, 1983)
– SLPs (Lass et al., 1989; Turnbaugh, Guitar, & Hoffman, 1979)
Review of the Literature: – Some recent investigations have noted a shift in attitudes (Cooper & Cooper, 1996; Klassen 2001;
Swartz, Gabel, & Irani, 2009)
– Still the stuttering stereotype exists (Bloodstein & Ratner, 2008; White & Collins, 1984)
– PWS are often characterized by others and by the media as nervous, shy,
frustrated, anxious, un-heroic, tense, weak, reactionary, and guarded (Basshardt,
2006; Burley & Rinaldi, 1986; Gabel, 2006; Johnson, 2008; Swartz, Gabel, Irani, 2009)
Review of Literature: – What is a stereotype?
– A stereotype is an exaggerated belief associated with a category, its function is to simplify
complex social information or rationalize conduct in relation to that category (Allport, 1958; Fox,
1992).
– Stereotypes allow people to have false beliefs, to exclude, to group together, and to diminish
(Crocker, Major, & Steel, 1998; Smart, 2001).
– Consider the prevalence of media portrayals of PWS as criminals, villains, unintelligent, or
damaged (Basshardt , 2006; Johnson, 1987; Johnson, 2008).
– Misinformed beliefs affect occupational, educational, and social opportunities (Crocker, Major, &
Steele, 1998; Goffman, 1963; Klein & Hood, 2004; Klompas & Ross, 2004, Yaruss & Quesal, 2004) and can expose PWS to
prejudicial and discriminating attitudes as well as bullying (Boyle, Blood, & Blood, 2009).
So at this time:
– A current understanding of the beliefs and attitudes toward stuttering and PWS
within various “helping professions” is important.
– Members of these professions play critical roles in providing support, assistance,
and opportunity for PWS.
– Their attitudes and actions can have a significant impact on the self-perception of
PWS affecting them personally, socially and professionally (Guitar, 2006; Dorsey & Guenther,
2000; Ezrati-Vinacour & Levin, 2004; Hulit & Wirtz, 1994; Yaruss & Quesal, 2004).
Purpose of the study
– This study examined the beliefs and perceptions of law enforcement, health care,
mental health, and educational personnel toward stuttering using the Public
Opinion Survey on Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S).
– Purpose: to determine current attitudes of people within selected “helping
professions” toward stuttering and PWS as well as to discern any significant
differences between the groups.
– Results will contribute to the current understanding of public attitudes toward
stuttering and may inform public awareness and educational campaigns.
Research Questions:
– What are the attitudes of law enforcement, health care, mental health, and
educational personnel toward stuttering and people who stutter?
– Is there a difference in attitudes between professions?
Method:
– 422 respondents with membership in the health care, mental health, education, and
law enforcement professions were recruited for this study
– Electronic links sent to 2072 potential respondents from published professional
email lists and listservs. Participants were asked to pass survey on as they saw fit.
– The Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S), a well-
developed, standardized instrument designed to measure public attitudes toward
stuttering (St. Louis, 2011) was used to collect the data.
– Data coded according to standard POSHA–S procedures and converted to a -100
to +100 scale, where higher scores reflect more positive attitudes & lower scores
reflect more negative attitudes
Demographics: – Overall response rate was 20.37% Median Age:
– Mental Health Workers = 98 45
– Health Care Workers = 101 39
– Education Personnel = 128 41
– Law Enforcement Personnel = 95 36
Demographics- (unremarkable) – Gender: More females responded to the survey (55%) than males (46%) except
law enforcement (80/20%)
– Age and Education:
The mean age of respondents in this sample was 40.25 years (SD=16.17),
with a range from 18 to 68.
The mean number of years of schooling was 16.94 (SD=2.69)
Mental Health Workers had most education (18.75 years)
Law Enforcement least (15.5 years)
– Income: Among friends and family (+40.25);
Compared to others in the US (+38.75).
Demographics- Knew a person who stuttered:
– Mental Health Professionals 80%
– Health Care Workers 78%
– Educational Professionals 64%
– Law Enforcement 53%
**2 respondents reported themselves as a PWS**
Data Analysis: – Components (clusters of items)
– Traits/Personality
– Help,
– Cause,
– Potential,
– Accommodating/Helping,
– Social Distance/Sympathy,
– Knowledge/Experience,
– Knowledge Source
– Sub-scores (clusters of components)
Beliefs About PWS (BEL) -- Those external to respondent
Self Reactions to PWS (SR) – Those internal to respondent
– Overall Stuttering Score (OSS) --(mean of the 2 sub-scores)
– Statistical analysis – Percentages, Means, Standard Deviations, MANOVA
Human attributes
– Overall respondents had somewhat
negative impressions of people who are
obese, those with mental illness, and
PWS .
– When asked if they would want to be a
person who was mentally ill, obese, or a
person who stuttered most respondents
showed very negative responses.
– Respondents knew the least about
people who have stuttering disorders,
followed by mental illness, obesity, and
left-handedness
Results: POSHA-S Human Attributes!
n!M (-100 to
+100)!
SD!
Overall impression of a person
who…! is obese! 422" -14" 94"
is left-handed! 422" 1" 76"
has a stuttering disorder! 422" -21" 82"
is mentally ill! 422" -31" 105"
is intelligent! 422" 55" 88"
I would want to be a person who…! is obese! 422" -82" 85"
is left-handed! 422" -13" 82"
has a stuttering disorder! 422" -86" 90"
is mentally ill! 422" -91" 96"
is intelligent! 422" 71" 96"
The amount I know about a person
who…! is obese! 422" -15" 100"
is left-handed! 422" -9" 106"
has a stuttering disorder! 422" -45" 101"
is mentally ill! 422" -17" 110"
is intelligent! 422" 36" 92"
Know PWS:
– 69% knew someone who stuttered –
– Mental Health—80
– Health Care—78
– Education—64
– Law Enforcement--53
– 131 respondents did not know a PWS
– 2 respondents reported themselves as a PWS
Results
Following are people I have known
with stuttering disorders….!
n! %!
Nobody 131 31%
Acquaintance 249 59%
Close friend 55 13%
Relative 30 8%
Me 2 0.4%
Other 97 22%
Selected Component Scores
What are the attitudes of law enforcement, health care, mental health, and educational personnel toward stuttering and people who stutter?
POSHA-S Component Scores Overall Sample
Mental Health
Health Care
Education Law Enforcement
Traits/Personality 6 20 1 6 -5
Help 54 66 51 57 41
Cause 5 17 7 2 -‐7
Potential 55 79 46 60 35
Accommodating/Helping 12 21 8 18 2
Social Distance/Sympathy -‐4 4 -‐4 3 -‐18
Knowledge/Experience -‐7 11 -‐13 1 -‐26
Knowledge Source 5 8 -‐1 6 7
What are the attitudes of law enforcement, health care, mental health, and educational personnel toward stuttering and people who stutter? Are there significant differences?
Sub-scores, OMI, & OSS
Implications:
– Biggest implications is that there is a need for training and education among these
helping professions with regard to stuttering and PWS.
– The education needs to be aimed at:
– The “stuttering stereotype”
– Ways to help
– Increasing comfortableness
– Getting accurate information out there
Very important because-- these professionals interact with, support, and have influence over
people who stutter on a regular basis
Limitations of the Study:
– The small sample size
– The low response rate
– Snowball sampling offer
Questions
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