Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Stuttering in Adults

Abstract

　Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is receiving attention as an approach to the control of stuttering, although few studies have examined its effect. In this report, we report cases of adult stuttering that improved with low-intensity CBT.

　The participants were 11 adults with stuttering (AWS, 22 to 47 years old, 2 women), who sought consultation at our clinic. In CBT, the patients were made to understand that stuttering was related to anxiety and that it can be dealt with by coping with anxiety, such as with exposure therapy. We explained to the AWS that while rehearsing their speech in the mind, they should distract their attention from “whether stuttering will occur or not.” The scores on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-J) and Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering for Adults (OASES-A) showed statistically significant improvement after 5 sessions, although there was no significant change of the score on the Modified Erickson Scale of Communication Attitudes (S-24) or in the stuttering frequency. Although the stuttering frequency did not improve, our findings showed that CBT was still effective against stuttering by improving social anxiety disorder and difficulty suffering.