Middle School Students' Perceptions of Stuttering

David L. Evans, Norimune Kawai and E. Charles Healey

This study examined the influence of stuttering frequency on middle school students’ perceptions of a peer who stutters. Participants viewed a video of a peer telling a joke at one of four stuttering frequencies and responded to Likert statements. Preliminary findings indicate that regardless of stuttering frequency, peers felt comfortable communicating with a peer who stutters and having a peer who stutters as a friend. Participants who viewed 5% and greater stuttering perceived the peer would endure teasing and would be less communicatively competent. Results are discussed relative to affective, behavioral, and cognitive-social perceptions of the peer who stutters.