Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-2-2021
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Communication Sciences and Disorders
First Advisor
Gregory Snyder
Second Advisor
Toshikazu Ikuta
Third Advisor
Myriam Kornisch
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This study measured perceptions of a 17-year-old adolescent male who stutters, relative to select speech skills and personality characteristics, as a function of self-disclosure at various overt severity levels. 983 participants were assigned one of the four conditions, including (1) a no-disclosure control group, (2) mild stuttering severity self-disclosure, (3) moderate stuttering severity self-disclosure, and (4) severe stuttering severity self-disclosure. Participants assigned to the control condition viewed only a primary video stimulus of a 17-year-old adolescent who stutters. Participants assigned to one of the three experimental conditions (mild, moderate, or severe severity disclosure) watched a brief self-disclosure statement, followed by the same primary video stimulus viewed by the control group. After viewing the video, participants were instructed to complete the brief survey afterwards. These data suggest that all self-disclosure statements increased the positive perceptions of speech skills and personality characteristics of an adolescent who stutters, despite different overt stuttering severity levels. The findings of this study correlate with previous studies that researched the use of disclosures and perceptions on a person who stutters (PWS). Furthermore, while data revealed all self-disclosure methods outperformed no disclosure, mild and severe severity level disclosures yielded more favorable than moderate severity level disclosures. Results suggest that the use of disclosure before verbal communication improves the listener’s perception of an adolescent who stutters, despite different overt stuttering severity levels. Clinical application, strengths and limitations, and future research are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Geringswald, Katelyn, "The Effects of Disclosure on Perceptions of Different Overt Stuttering Severity Levels" (2021). Honors Theses. 1630.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1630
Accessibility Status
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