Self-disclosure experiences of adults who stutter

What is it about?

Self-disclosure, the act of revealing personal information to others, is associated with benefits such as increased relationship satisfaction, decreased psychological distress, and self-empowerment for individuals with marginalized identities. This study investigates the self-disclosure experiences of adults who stutter through the analysis of participant interviews. Themes relating to self-disclosure experiences are described and supported by participant interview excerpts.

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Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Self-disclosure has been judged to be a helpful strategy for adults who stutter because it is associated with positive listener perceptions. Few studies, however, have investigated the outcomes of self-disclosure from the perspective of the person who stutters. This study centers the perceptions of adults who stutter. Participants reported that self-disclosure reduced anxiety and improved focus during communication. Self-disclosure was also associated with psychosocial benefits such as self-empowerment and social connection. Additionally, participants emphasized the importance of personalized self-disclosure use, wherein the speaker creates an authentic, comfortable self-disclosure statement and identifies beneficial contexts of use through practice.

Perspectives