Outcomes of a Remote Mindfulness Program for Adults Who Stutter: Five Case Studies

Abstract

Purpose: The use of mindfulness-based practices has increased in the field of fluency disorders over the past several years and has been implicated as a viable complement to traditional stuttering therapy. The purpose of this study was to explore the outcomes of an 8-week remote mindfulness program delivered to adults who stutter. Method: Five adults who stutter completed pre- and posttest questionnaires as well as weekly postsession surveys. Questionnaires included open-ended questions regarding participants' perceptions of their stuttering severity and their perceptions of mindfulness. The Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES) was incorporated to measure quality of life in both the pretest and posttest. Postsession surveys prompted participants to reflect on the topic presented each week. These data were used to develop individual case studies. Results: Pre- and posttest OASES scores revealed improvement in three participants' quality of life rating scores, while two participants remained within the same range. None of the participants' perceptions of their stuttering severity changed after participating in the program; however, participants who responded to postsession surveys reported that they planned to apply mindfulness knowledge in their personal lives and noticed positive changes within themselves. Conclusions: These preliminary findings revealed that even though perceptions of stuttering severity did not change, benefits were still gained by the participants. Future research should include a larger sample and content that is specifically tailored for people who stutter.