Addressing Attitudes About Stuttering in Preservice Teachers

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: This study explored the impact of in-person oral presentations on stuttering as a means of improving attitudes toward stuttering among preservice teachers. The educational intervention was tested under three conditions, which varied according to who presented the information. The research question sought to determine if differences in group change scores on the Public Opinion Survey Human Attributes–Stuttering (POSHA-S) occurred after training. Method: University classes containing 48 preservice teachers were randomly assigned to either one of two experimental groups or to a control group. The two experimental groups received a presentation on stuttering given by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), with or without a child who stutters. The control group received no training. The change in the Overall Stuttering Score of the POSHA-S was compared between the groups. Conclusions: The results indicated that the SLP-only group had a statistically significant improvement on the POSHA-S compared with the control group. Education significantly improved the attitudes of both experimental groups. This research supports the potential benefit of training future educators on stuttering using in-person oral presentations. Clinical and research implications of this study are discussed.