Abstract
It has been said that stuttering becomes chronic and cannot be ameliorated if it continues into a person's adulthood. In the present study, interviews were conducted with 7 adults (5 men, 2 women) who stuttered, in order to examine the process by which they came to accept their stuttering. All participants were members of self-help groups for people who stutter. They were questioned about their stuttering, their consciousness of stuttering, and behavior related to stuttering. The participants reported repetitive painful experiences because of their stuttering, after they realized that they stuttered. Negative values were formed not only toward stuttering itself, but also the self-image associated with stuttering. As they came to accept their stuttering, positive values were formed about stuttering and their self-image. On each occasion in which they stuttered, the participants report a pendulum-like change in their feelings. Although this became smaller as they came increasingly to accept their stuttering, the pendulum sway was not necessarily gone. This appears to be one of the factors that makes acceptance of stuttering difficult. The self-help groups' activities were considered to be an effective opportunity for social participation, which could enhance the acceptance of stuttering.
