Theories, Facts, Assessments, and Treatments of Stuttering : How are theories and facts of stuttering consistent with our practice?

Most of the books on stuttering define that stuttering is an interruption in the normal rhythm of speech manifested by symptoms of involuntary (1) repetition of words, part-words, or sounds, (2) prolongation of sounds, and (3) blocking of words, all of which are usually accompanied by tense movements of the face, jaw, and occasionally an extremity. However, this tells us only a part of the complex stuttering phenomena. This is true that people who stutter suffer from these overt phenomena; however it is also important to investigate where these phenomena come from. Currently, researchers on stuttering suggest that stuttering contains not only motor problems but also many other covert problems which may cause or influence overt aspects of stuttering symptoms. Nowadays, the multidimensional model of stuttering is one of the most popular models in the areas of stuttering research, assessment, and treatment. This model hypothesizes that the overt stuttering problem, which is a breakdown in motor processes, is influenced by a variety of factors. Researchers conceptualized the problems of stuttering in five factors, which were cognitive, affective, linguistic, motor, and social components. On this paper, the author introduced several major theories of stuttering and the facts we know about stuttering, and then discussed how to mediate between the facts or theories and clinical work for people who stutter.