Measuring the Entire Stuttering Disorder

Understanding the stuttering disorder requires more than a simple count of stuttering behaviors. Although a reliable and valid count of behavior may form the foundation for some aspects of clinical decision-making, a broader view of the entire condition is critical to planning individualized, yet comprehensive, therapy. This course, the second in a two-part series on the clinical measurement of stuttering, addresses other aspects of the stuttering disorder—in addition to the stuttering behavior itself—that clinicians will want to consider during assessment. Specific factors to be discussed include the speaker’s reactions to stuttering, the functional communication difficulties a speaker may experience as a result of stuttering, and the overall adverse impact that stuttering may have on the speaker’s quality of life.