Bulletin

Issue: October 2004

Research in Action

Smooth talking help for adolescents who stutter

La Trobe University speech pathologists have developed a program they believe is helping adolescents who stutter - in more ways than one. Indications from the first 12 stuttering secondary school students undergoing a research trial of the 'Smooth Speech Program' at La Trobe's Communications Clinic are that the program is succeeding.

'All 12 who have undergone the first week-long intensive program can now speak without stuttering. Our challenge is to help them maintain this fluency,' says program director, Dr Susan Block.

A specialist and world authority on stuttering treatment, Dr Block collaborated in developing the trial with Professor Mark Onslow and Dr Ann Packman of the Stuttering Research Centre at the University of Sydney.

'Adolescents who stutter desperately need help from such a program. We know those who stutter in this age group are subjected to teasing and bullying and there is strong evidence that this can be so extreme that some avoid going to school and even contemplate suicide,' says Dr Block.

Prior to the development of the program, group treatment for adolescents was intermittent in Victoria - and there was very little evidence for its success. The prototype program for adolescents, developed from a highly successful one for adults that Dr Block devised several years ago, started earlier this year.

The program is in two stages. The first stage, which the first 12 adolescents have completed, comprises a five-day intensive program in which they come to the clinic nine hours a day from Monday to Friday.

'During this intensive phase they are literally taught to speak again,' says Dr Block. 'They participate in a variety of speaking situations like talking in front of a group, reading aloud, asking and answering questions, playing games, talking on the telephone, shopping - in fact all kinds of situations they find in the course of their normal life.'

'The second stage comprises a two-hour session once a week for seven weeks in which we are attempting to cement the improvements made during the first intensive phase. The first cohort has completed the first intensive stage and is half way through the second phase.

'We are feeling extremely optimistic that the adolescents will do as well as adults who have completed a similar program,' Dr Block said.
'This initiative has four main aims.

We wish to provide adolescents with an opportunity for treatment they would not otherwise have, and then evaluate whether the results for them are as good as those for adults.

'We also want to address the special needs of adolescents who stutter, like increasing their self esteem and help them manage their own treatment independent of their parents. The program also gives La Trobe speech pathology students a chance to learn skills in treating stuttering and to develop strategies for working with adolescents.'

Another two 'Smooth Speech Programs' for adolescents will be held at La Trobe in February and July, 2005. •

Contact: Dr Susan Block Tel: (03) 9479 1801

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