The Onset of Stuttering

The Onset of Stuttering was first published in 1959.In what form, at what age, and under what conditions does the problem of stuttering arise? This is the question Dr. Johnson and his colleagues seek to answer in this report of research carried on at the world-renowned speech pathology center at the University of Iowa.The mothers and fathers of approximately 500 children, half classified as stutterers and half as non-stutterers, were interviewed about the beginnings of the problem and related physical, medical, emotional, socioeconomic, and educational aspects of family life and child development. The two groups of parents were compared on a basis of their responses and their scores on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. A comprehensive appendix table gives the interview questions and a detailed listing of the responses. Tape-recorded speech samples of the two groups of children were analyzed and compared. Parents were given clinical help and its effectiveness was appraised.Dr. Johnson’s major conclusions, focusing on the crucial interactions of child and parent (speaker and listener), have important implications for behavior scientists generally and especially for those concerned with communication processes. The findings imply a hopeful outlook for the prevention of stuttering and for therapy, particularly when parental counseling is provided soon after the onset of the problem.This is an essential book for everyone concerned with the problem of stuttering -- speech correctionists, physicians, teachers, psychologists, social workers, and others.