ABSTRACT
In the earlier part of the last century, many of the prevailing theories on stuttering rested on the notion that the disorder was caused by some psychological reaction on behalf of the sufferer. While it is true to say that in recent decades psychological explanations have fallen from favour as a stand-alone answer as to why stuttering arises, a number still offer important frameworks that complement alternative organic explanations. Additionally, it is clear that the development of a stutter is inextricably linked to the environment in which that person (and the stutter) develops. Consequently a number of psychological theories have had a direct and lasting impact on therapeutic practice. Specifically, the importance of recognizing cognitive and affective components in stuttering has been reflected in the success of therapies that target an individual’s perception of themselves as a speaker, and in dealing with the belief systems that accompany feelings about their stutter, whilst operant practice has been used extensively in the treatment of both children and adults. It is worth noting that for all the exciting discoveries that continue to be made which strengthen arguments for organic accounts of stuttering, remarkably few translate into a therapeutic framework that directly benefits the person who stutters. In contrast, as we see in part 2 of this book, the vast majority of therapeutic approaches to stuttering have their rationale based in one or other psychological viewpoint, and therapy can be readily translated back to the theory that underlies it.
