Academic, Clinical, and Educational Experiences of Self-Identified Fluency Specialists

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of the present study is to examine whether the academic, clinical, and fluency-related student experiences of professionals who self-identify as having specialized knowledge of fluency disorders differ from those who do not. Method An online survey was developed to identify the academic, clinical, and specific fluency-related experiences professionals had when they were undergraduate and graduate students. The survey was completed by 219 professionals within the field of speech-language pathology (122 self-identified specialists, 97 self-identified non-specialists). Results Considerable overlap was observed in training experiences of self-identified specialists and non-specialists. However, Chi-square analyses revealed a significantly greater proportion of self-identified specialists reported (a) completion of a dedicated course in fluency disorders during undergraduate and graduate curriculum, (b) interaction with five or more fluency clients during clinical practicum, and (c) exposure to specific fluency-related activities such as voluntary stuttering and attendance at a fluency-related support group. Conclusions Findings suggest that despite the degree of overlap between self-identified specialists' and non-specialists' pre-professional training, the quantity and quality of certain experiences may influence future decisions to focus more exclusively on working with persons who stutter.