Self-efficacy in stuttering therapy (Beita-Ell & Boyle, 2020)

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to examine the self-efficacy of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in conducting multidimensional treatment with children who stutter (CWS) and to identify correlates of self-efficacy in treating speech-related, social, emotional, and cognitive domains of stuttering.

Method: Three hundred twenty randomly selected school-based SLPs across the United States responded to an online survey that contained self-efficacy scales related to speech, social, emotional, and cognitive components of stuttering. These ratings were analyzed in relation to participants’ beliefs about stuttering treatment and their comfort level in treating CWS, perceived success in therapy, and empathy levels, in addition to their academic and clinical training in fluency disorders as well as demographic information.

Results: Overall, SLPs reported moderate levels of self-efficacy on each self-efficacy scale and on a measure of total self-efficacy. Significant positive associations were observed between SLPs’ self-efficacy perceptions and their comfort level in treating CWS, self-reported success in treatment, beliefs about the importance of multidimensional treatment, and self-reported empathy. There were some discrepancies between what SLPs believed was important to address in stuttering therapy and how they measured success in therapy.

Conclusions: Among school-based SLPs, self-efficacy for treating school-age CWS with a multidimensional approach appears stronger than previously reported; however, more progress in training and experience is needed for SLPs to feel highly self-efficacious in these areas. Continuing to improve clinician self-efficacy for stuttering treatment through improved academic training and increased clinical experiences should remain a high priority in order to enhance outcomes for CWS.

Supplemental Material S1. Graph and table showing frequency data for how success in stuttering therapy is documented by SLPs.

Supplemental Material S2. Graph and table showing percentages of SLPs who agreed that they were lacking in their abilities to work with children who stutter.

Supplemental Material S3. Items and descriptive statistics for self-efficacy (speech-related questions).

Supplemental Material S4. Items and descriptive statistics for self-efficacy (cognitive questions).

Supplemental Material S5. Items and descriptive statistics for self-efficacy (affective/emotional questions).

Supplemental Material S6. Items and descriptive statistics for self-efficacy (social questions).

Beita-Ell, C., & Boyle, M. P. (2020). School-based speech-language pathologists’ perceived self-efficacy in conducting multidimensional treatment with children who stutter. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00044