New accessible programs for people who stutter

Tuesday 22 October marks International Stuttering Awareness Day, a global initiative aimed at increasing public understanding of stuttering and highlighting the experiences of those who live with this complex speech disorder.

Luis Miguel Lainez Reche, a 33-year-old senior software engineer in Sydney, knows firsthand the challenges of living with stuttering.

“Stuttering has been an unwelcome travel companion throughout my life,” said Lainez Reche.

Lainez Reche says stuttering has limited him from voicing his opinions, participating in family events, and making new friends.

“I’ve lived in a constant state of anxiety, with a sense of defeat.”

However, Lainez Reche’s life took a positive turn after participating in iGlebe, a free online social anxiety program developed by the Australian Stuttering Research Centre (ASRC) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

"Since starting treatment, my confidence when speaking has significantly improved, and I've learned to accept my stuttering," he said.

Stuttering affects approximately 1% of the population, with about 800,000 Australians experiencing stuttering at some time in their lives.

Stuttering stems from difficulty coordinating the muscles required for speech. It involves genetics and is not caused by anxiety, parenting styles or family dynamics.

Timely and affordable access to treatment can significantly impact communication and quality of life, with implications for health, education, employment and social policies.

Despite the crucial need for treatment, access to services in the community can be severely limited with extensive waitlists common for both speech pathology and psychology services – particularly in rural and remote communities.

To address this gap the UTS ASRC has developed a series of free online treatment programs for children, adolescents and adults who stutter.

UTS Associate Professor Robyn Lowe, a principal researcher for one of the programs, says the online programs – which are currently undergoing clinical research trialling – aim to address the shortage of resources available in the community.

"Our goal is to make evidence-based stuttering treatment accessible to anyone, anywhere with an internet connection.

"Current standard practices have benefits, but for some there are financial, geographic and service availability barriers to accessing treatment services.

"The waitlist for some specialised speech pathology or psychology services can exceed 12 months,” Lowe said.

These online programs aim to provide an alternative service delivery model to ensure treatment is accessible and available to those who need it, when they need it.

Associate Professor Robyn Lowe

The ASRC is a leader in stuttering research worldwide, with its range of evidence-based programs recognised as some of the most widely used and researched treatments for stuttering across the lifespan.

This International Stuttering Awareness Day, the ASRC encourages everyone to learn more about stuttering and its impact, support friends or family members who stutter, and spread awareness about available treatments.

For those interested in participating in these clinical trials, please contact the ASRC research team at asrc.research@uts.edu.au or visit the Australian Stuttering Research Centre website.

The new online programs are not intended to replace face-to-face or telehealth treatment for stuttering, as they may not suit everyone. More personalised approaches may be necessary in some cases, where these internet programs can complement traditional therapy, allowing clinicians to integrate them into their practice.
 

Things to remember when speaking with someone who stutters:

- Listen just as you would with anyone else
- Make eye contact just as you would with anyone else
- Don’t finish sentences, rush, or interrupt anyone who stutters.