Stuttering and anxiety: The difference between stutterers and nonstutterers in verbal apprehension and physiologic arousal during the anticipation of speech and non-speech tasks

Abstract To test if stressful anticipation of speech situations is a factor in eliciting stuttering behavior, the difference between 24 stutterers and 24 nonstutterers in verbal apprehension and physiologic activity was studied before and during speech tasks (reading and conversation), and nonspeech tasks (motor and intelligence task). Results indicate that the difference between stutterers and nonstutterers mainly were restricted to anxiety ratings assessed after each task. Heart rate, vasomotor responses, and electrodermal activity recorded before and during speech tasks were higher compared with the physiologic activity before and during nonspeech tasks but, unexpectedly, this was also the case for nonstutterers. It is concluded that stuttering is not elicited by anxiety.

[1]  D. Meichenbaum.  Cognitive-Behavior Modification , 1977 .

[2]  Joseph G. sheefhan.  Stuttering: Research and Therapy , 1970 .

[3]  R. Ingham,et al.  Behavior therapy and stuttering: a review. , 1973, The Journal of speech and hearing disorders.

[4]  M. R. Adams.  The use of reciprocal inhibition procedures in the treatment of stuttering , 1972 .

[5]  K. Pribram,et al.  Arousal, activation, and effort in the control of attention. , 1975, Psychological review.

[6]  W. Hulstijn.  Habituation of the orienting response as a function of arousal induced by three different tasks , 1978, Biological Psychology.

[7]  G. Mandler.  Mind and Emotion , 1975 .

[8]  B. Gray,et al.  The relationship between nonverbal anxiety and stuttering adaptation , 1967 .

[9]  R. Ingham,et al.  The relation between anxiety reduction and treatment , 1971 .

[10]  K. Strongman,et al.  The psychology of emotion , 1973 .

[11]  R. Borden,et al.  Autonomic and affective reactions of high and low socially-anxious individuals awaiting public performance. , 1979, Psychophysiology.

[12]  Van Riper,et al.  The treatment of stuttering , 1973 .

[13]  W. Ickes,et al.  The stuttering moment: a plethysmographic study. , 1973, Journal of communication disorders.

[14]  C. G. Reed,et al.  Some relationships between punishment, stuttering, and galvanic skin responses. , 1976, Journal of speech and hearing research.

[15]  C. G. Reed,et al.  Conditioned stimulus effects on stuttering and GSRs. , 1980, Journal of speech and hearing research.

[16]  D. Kahneman.  Attention and Effort , 1973 .

[17]  S. Schachter.  Emotion, Obesity and Crime , 1973 .

[18]  D. Shoemaker,et al.  The Modification of Stuttering , 1968 .

[19]  H. Hermans.  Motivatie en prestatie , 1967 .

[20]  O. Bloodstein.  A handbook on stuttering , 1969 .

[21]  B. Ryan.  Programmed Therapy for Stuttering in Children and Adults , 1980 .

[22]  THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANXIETY, FATIGUE AND SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY IN STUTTERING. , 1965, Behaviour research and therapy.