Behavioral self-control of stuttering using time-out from speaking.
A 5-second self-time-out after each stutter gave one adult smooth speech that lasted a full year.
01Research in Context
What this study did
One adult who stuttered learned to give himself a 5-second time-out from talking every time he stuttered. The study ran in three places: the clinic, his home, and on the phone.
A multiple-baseline design showed the time-out rule was added in each place at a different time.
What they found
Stuttering dropped from about a large share of syllables to under 1% in every setting. The gains stayed for at least 12 months with no extra help.
How this fits with other research
McReynolds (1969) first showed that adult-imposed time-out from speaking could cut odd vocalizations in a preschooler. Fantino (1981) moved the same idea to self-management in adults who stutter.
Richman et al. (2001) later replaced time-out with parent praise for fluent speech in preschoolers. Their Lidcombe Program keeps kids fluent without any punishment, showing the field shifted to positive-only methods for young children.
Rilling et al. (1969) used a penny lost for each disfluency and got similar quick drops in college students. The shared punishing core links all three studies even though ages and agents differ.
Why it matters
If you work with older clients who stutter, teach them to pause briefly right after a stutter. One adult needed only a 5-second break to gain near-fluent speech that lasted a year. Pair the plan with self-monitoring and practice in real-life spots like phone calls.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Research has shown that stuttering may be attenuated by a variety of response-contingent consequences. To date, however, few attempts have been made to develop comprehensive clinical procedures based on the operant manipulation of stuttering. The present research examined the efficacy of self-initiated response-contingent time-out from speaking in two experiments involving a single subject. Multiple baseline designs were used in which the subject's speech was monitored in a variety of laboratory and community settings. In Experiment 1, the time-out procedure produced reliable reductions in disfluency across all observational settings. Experiment 2 combined a response-cost contingency with time-out in an attempt to increase the reliability with which the subject timed himself out, and to increase further the effectiveness of the procedure. Increases in reliability were produced, and the associated improvements in fluency were maintained at 6- and 12-months' follow-up.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 1981 · doi:10.1901/jaba.1981.14-25