The Combined Use of Operant Procedures and Theoretical Concepts in the Treatment of an Adult Female Stutterer

Abstract

This paper describes the treatment of a 47-year-old female stutterer who became fluent following participation in a three-stage therapy program. The program was designed to manipulate certain overt manifestations of stuttering, to change the client’s perceptions about her stuttering and herself, and to engage the client in speaking and social situations. The program utilized both theoretical and operant concepts. Clinical implications are discussed.

An analysis of the relationship between the degree of maintained fluency improvement of former Portland State University stuttering clients and the overall language themes they used

“…The present research adds to that of others (Johnson, 1955;Williams, 1957;Shames, Egolf and Rhodes, 1969;Egolf, Shames and Blind, 1971;Prichard, 1971;Culatta and Rubin, 1973;and Casteel, 1976) who have found that there seems to be a relationship between fluency and language or thematics. While other research has indicated a relationship between the establishment of fluency and the use of desirable language during an intervention program, this research suggests that desirable language also may be related to overall clinical gain and fluency improvement that is maintained over an extended period of time.…”

“…score and/or greater overall fluency gain from baseline to follow-up. These data add some new information to the findings of numerous researchers (Shames, Egolf and Rhodes, 1969;Egolf, Shames and Blind, 1971;Prichard, 1971;and Culatta and Rubin, 1973) who suggest that the use of overall desirable language themes seems to play a major role in the establishment of fluency. Although this study seems to support a relationship between desirable language themes and maintained fluency improvements the degree of relationship is difficult to state conclu-sively at this point due to several uncontrolled variables which will be discussed later.…”

“…Thus it may be that the content of stutterers' language, to a major degree, controls and maintains stuttering behavior. · A later study conducted by Egolf, Shames and Blind (1971) involved the treatment of a forty-seven year old female who stutter- postulates that, rather than learning to be an efficient stutterer, the individual is capable of learning to be an efficient talker.…”

“…relapse is 'so high. Thematic modification of the stuttering client's undesirable language (to a more desirable Ianguage) has been reported to promote the establishment of fluency in short term studies (Shames, Egolf and Rhodes, 1969;Egolf, Shames and Blind, 1971;and Culatta and Rubin, 1973). However, research has been meager so far.…”

“…The relationship between the stutterer's language responses to behavioral responsibility and fluency establishment has been speculated by several authors (Shames, Egolf and Rhodes, 1969;Sander, 1970;Egolf, Shames and Blind, 1971;Prichard, 1971;Culatta and Rubin, 1973;and Casteel, 1976 If language themes are somehow related to behavioral responsibility and fluency, as the above authors suggest, language themes should be considered when constructing a program to promote responsibility and to instate fluency. Via the language themes of responses, the individual's beliefs and attitudes become observable events that can be dealt with as target behaviors subject to modification.…”