Stories from the other side: outcomes from Narrative Therapy for people who stutter

Abstract

Stories from the Other Side: Outcomes from Narrative Therapy for people who stutter Background. Stuttering is a disorder of speech encompassing motor speech, emotional and cognitive factors, impacting on the life and experiences of a person who stutters in an unprecedented way. It is characterised by overt behaviours such as involuntary blocks in speech; repetitions; prolongations and covert or unobservable behaviours that include a feeling of loss of control. Research highlights however (Koedoot, Bouwmans, Franken, & Stolk, 2011), that it is the covert aspects, the subtle cognitive and affective layers that lie beneath the surface of stuttering (Manning, 2010) that are often of greater significance to the speaker than the more obvious overt features. Narrative therapy has its origins in social constructionism that recognises that people construct their lives and identities socially and culturally, through language, discourse and communication (Speedy, 2008; White & Epston, 1990). It has been used to address problem saturated narratives that dominate the lives of people encouraging a sense of agency as they rewrite and reauthor their story to one that fits with their hopes, values and dreams. There is currently limited published research detailing the outcomes from Narrative Therapy. Narrative therapy was identified as a possible means of addressing the impact of stuttering on the person who stutters and was introduced as a core component of the intervention programme Free to stutter...Free to Speak (Leahy, O? Dwyer & Ryan, 2012; Ryan, O?Dwyer & Leahy, 2015). Method. Data was collected from 11 participants of the Free to Stutter Free to Speak programme over a 3 year period and as part of a composite analysis the Narrative Therapy sessions were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The standardised assessments administered as part of the programme are included in this analysis as are the narrative documents, letters, emails and narrative maps. Results. Five superordinate themes emerge from the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. These themes include the Impact of stuttering, Hope, Identity, Will and Unique Outcomes, Outcomes emerge that highlight the importance of addressing the impact of stuttering, forging connections with others and actions that increase participation in everyday life leading to an increased sense of ?wellness?. References Boyle, M. P. (2013a). Assessment of stigma associated with stuttering: development and evaluation of the self-stigma of stuttering scale (4S). Journal Of Speech, Language, And Hearing Research: JSLHR, 56(5), 1517-1529. doi: 10.1044/1092-4388(2013/12-0280) Boyle, M. P. (2013b). Psychological characteristics and perceptions of stuttering of adults who stutter with and without support group experience. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 38(4), 368-381. doi: Koedoot, C., Bouwmans, C., Franken, M.-C., & Stolk, E. (2011). Quality of life in adults who stutter. Journal of Communication Disorders, 44(4), 429-443. doi: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2011.02.002 Leahy, M., O?Dwyer, M., & Ryan, F. (2012). Witnessing stories: Definitional Ceremonies in Narrative Therapy with adults who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 37(0), 234-241. doi: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2012.03.001 Manning, W. (2010). Clinical decision Making in Fluency disorders. London: Delmar Cengage Learning. Ryan, F., O'Dwyer, M., & Leahy, M. M. (2015). Separating the Problem and the Person. Topics in Language Disorders, 35(3), 267. Speedy, J. (2008). Narrative Inquiry & Psychotherapy. New York: Palgrave Macmillian. White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. New York: Norton.