Biomedical Research

Objective: To investigate: The level of understanding regarding the problem of stuttering Awareness of Self Therapy among adult stutters. Study design: Cross Sectional study design was used for this study.

Setting: Research was conducted in tertiary care units of public and private sectors Hospitals in Lahore Pakistan (Combined Military Hospital, Mayo Hospital and Fatima Memorial Hospital).

Duration of study: Study is completed within the time frame of six months from September 2014 to February 2015.

Methodology: Between the eras of October 2014 to March 2015, Adult clients of stuttering were taken, who were above the age of 15 years. Inclusion criteria included all the males and females above the age of 15 who were stuttering. It includes students, males and females, having blockage, repetition, prolongation or any other primary or secondary symptom of stuttering. All the stutters with congenital or chronic diseases were excluded. All patients were interviewed briefly prior considering them to be a part of study, to ensure they meet the inclusion criteria. After literature review and expert opinion, a Performa was developed and validated by 10 experts (having minimum 5 years field experience). Performa included the information of bio data, age of the individual and information about their education or employment status, onset of the problem, when they started taking therapy, duration of taking therapy and type of therapy, and whether they are taking therapy once, twice or thrice in a week.

Results: There is significant correlation between Understanding regarding the problem of Stuttering and Awareness of Self therapy for Stuttering. There is significant effectiveness found, of Understanding regarding the problem of Stuttering on Awareness of Self therapy for Stuttering.

Conclusion: It was concluded that adult stutters who understand their problems in speaking, are also aware of certain self-therapy techniques that are helpful for them in coping with their stuttering behaviour. These self-therapy techniques vary individual to individual because of the individual differences. It was also concluded that the greater stutter has awareness regarding his speech problem the greater he use and employ self-help therapeutic techniques. Limitations: The study was conducted only on adult stutters. It was a short term research. Population was taken from only one city of Pakistan.

Recommendations: Study should be conducted on large scale with large sample size. Study should include population of more than 1 city of Pakistan. Study can include children who stutter too, in future research

Author(s): Hafsa Noreen, Sikander Ghayas Khan, Nayab Iftikhar, Sumaira Nawaz Malik
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