Disclose Your Stuttering, Improve People’s Impressions of You

Published research from Dr. Courtney Byrd and her team at University of Austin provide evidence for improved impressions of people who stutter (PWS) who self-disclose their stuttering.  Individuals in this study watched 2 different videos of PWS (male who self-discloses, male who does not disclose, female who self-discloses, or female who does not disclose).  In one video the PWS disclosed their stuttering, in the second video the PWS did not disclose their stuttering.  After the participants watched the two videos they answered questionnaires about their impressions of the personality traits.

Participants felt that PWS who disclosed their stuttering were:

1. More outgoing

2. More confident

3. More friendly

4. More intelligent

5. More polite

6. More at ease

7. Less shy

8. Less ashamed

Participants felt that the PWS who did not self-disclose were:

1. More timid

2. More shy

3. Harder to follow

4. More ashamed

5. More awkward

Interestingly, participants generally believed the PWS who self-disclosed stuttered less.  In actuality there was the same amount of stuttering in each video (it was controlled for using voluntary stuttering when creating the videos).

The moral of the story?  Self-disclosing your stuttering is good for you and for your listeners!

Drop me a line to learn how you can actively change people’s perceptions of you and your stuttering!

#selfdisclosure #stuttering #treatment #StutteringResearch