School-based guidelines often require that treatment focuses on minimizing or eliminating stuttered speech. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of explicit training in communication competencies to children who stutter without targeting stuttered speech. Thirty-seven children (ages 4–16) completed Camp Dream. Speak. Live., an intensive group treatment program which targets the psychosocial needs and communication of children who stutter. Outcome measures included the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES), the Communication Attitude Test for Preschool and Kindergarten Children Who Stutter (KiddyCAT), and the Patient Reported Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric Peer Relationships Short Form (PROMIS Peer Relationships) and Parent Proxy Peer Relationships Short Form (PROMIS Parent Proxy). Pre- and posttreatment public presentations were rated on nine core verbal and nonverbal communication competencies by a neutral observer. Similar to previous studies, participants demonstrated significant improvements in communication attitudes (OASES) and perceived ability to establish peer relationships (PROMIS Peer Relationships), particularly school-aged participants (ages 7–16). Participants also demonstrated significant improvement in eight of the nine communication competencies. Findings suggest that, in addition to the psychosocial gains of programs such as Camp Dream. Speak. Live., children who stutter benefit from explicit training in communication skills, and these gains are not dependent on the presence of stuttered speech.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess self-perceived communication competence of adults who stutter following a unique treatment program, Communication-Centered Treatment (CCT), that focuses on communication competence as a clinical goal, and explicitly excludes goals focused on speech fluency. Method: Thirty-three adults who stutter completed the Self-Perceived Communication Competence scale (McCroskey & McCroskey, 1988) before and after their CCT program. Results: Findings indicate significant gains in self-perceived communication competence post-treatment across four speaking contexts (public presentation, large meeting, small group interaction, dyadic interaction) and three audience types (strangers, acquaintances, friends). Conclusions: Adults who stutter consider themselves stronger communicators following a treatment designed to increase communication competence without attempting to alter frequency or severity of their stuttered speech. [ClinicalTrials.govNCT05908123; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT05908123]

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Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify levels of self-compassion in adults who do and do not stutter and to determine whether self-compassion predicts the impact of stuttering on quality of life in adults who stutter. Method Participants included 140 adults who do and do not stutter matched for age and gender. All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale. Adults who stutter also completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering. Data were analyzed for self-compassion differences between and within adults who do and do not stutter and to predict self-compassion on quality of life in adults who stutter. Results Adults who do and do not stutter exhibited no significant differences in total self-compassion, regardless of participant gender. A simple linear regression of the total self-compassion score and total Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering score showed a significant, negative linear relationship of self-compassion predicting the impact of stuttering on quality of life. Conclusions Data suggest that higher levels of self-kindness, mindfulness, and social connectedness (i.e., self-compassion) are related to reduced negative reactions to stuttering, an increased participation in daily communication situations, and an improved overall quality of life. Future research should replicate current findings and identify moderators of the self-compassion–quality of life relationship.

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Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effectiveness and acceptability of an initial module (1.1; active listening skills) of the Simulated Training in Evidence-Based Practice for Stuttering (STEPS) program, a theory-driven, multimodule, content and learning platform designed to advance knowledge and skills in working with culturally and linguistically diverse persons who stutter of all ages. Method: Fifteen preservice speech-language pathologists (SLPs) were randomly assigned to complete either the STEPS 1.1 module or a control module. In both conditions, all participants engaged in pre– and post–clinical interviews with a standardized patient portraying a parent of a child who stutters. Prior to participation, all participants provided self-ratings on the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy–Health Profession Student. Post participation, trained observers rated all participants' active listening behaviors using the Active Listening Observation Scale–Modified. Post participation, the STEPS 1.1 participants also completed an intervention acceptability questionnaire. Results: No differences between groups were found in self-perceived clinical empathy prior to participation. Participants who completed the STEPS 1.1 condition utilized paraphrasing and client-directed eye gaze significantly more frequently at posttest than at pretest and significantly more than the control group at posttest. Quantitative and qualitative responses from the participants who completed STEPS 1.1 indicated high acceptability of its content, structure, duration, and perceived impact. Conclusion: Preliminary data from the present pilot study support use of the STEPS 1.1 module to improve preservice SLPs' use of skills that have been shown to predict perceived clinical empathy and increase assessment and treatment effectiveness.