EFFICACY OF A COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY-BASED INTENSIVE SUMMER CAMP FOR AN ADOLESCENT WHO STUTTERS: SINGLE-SUBJECT DATA

Abstract

Clinicians are increasingly incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based approaches into fluency treatment for children and adolescents who stutter. However, minimal research examines the efficacy of such programs. The present study assesses the efficacy of a CBT-based, intensive, five-day summer camp that promotes self-acceptance and aims to improve the quality of life of adolescents who stutter. Specifically, this study examines whether the camp is effective in reducing state and trait anxiety, decreasing the negative impact of stuttering on daily life, and increasing fluency. A single-subject design on a 14-year old, male adolescent who stutters, LM, and personal interview data with LM’s mother, MM, are utilized. Post-treatment, LM’s scores reflect improvements in self-efficacy surrounding communication situations, as measured by the Self-Efficacy for Adolescents Scale (SEA-Scale), and improvements in overall speaking-related quality of life, as measured by the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering – Teen (OASES-T). These improvements were maintained at one and three months follow-up. Nonetheless, a large degree of variation in percent syllables stuttered (%SS) and LM’s consistently low rates of state and trait anxiety, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), suggest that additional study is warranted before conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy of the summer camp program on reducing stuttering severity and anxiety.