Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes towards individuals with a fluency disorder held by speech-language pathologists cross-culturally. Current literature was examined that focused on the treatment of fluency disorder, the attitudes towards communication disorders, and then more specifically attitudes towards fluency disorders from a variety of viewpoints. Cultural differences were also examined. The researcher created a survey with multiple choice, Likert-type, and open-ended questions, and both Bipolar and Likert Matrix tables. These questions aimed to better understand how speech-language pathologists view individuals with a fluency disorder, along with their attitudes towards these individuals. Questions were also asked about how the participants believe the general public views individuals with a fluency disorder. A major finding revealed that speech-language pathologists’ perceptions of individuals with a fluency disorder do not differ across cultures. Another major finding demonstrated that the participants believed that the general public perceives individuals with a fluency disorder negatively. One major implication of this study is that an individual with a fluency disorder should not be concerned with their speech-language pathologist’s cultural background.

Advisor

Furey, Joan

Department

Communication Studies

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

fluency disorders, culture, speech-language pathology, stuttering, cluttering

Publication Date

2019

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2019 Shelby Renée Wilcox