Interpersonal psychotherapy with a person who stutters

Abstract

Stuttering is a problem that touches the lives of many people. The goal of this research is to come to a better understanding of a complex process of psychotherapy with a person who stutters. This is a qualitative study: sixteen sessions of interpersonal psychotherapy were conducted over a period of six months with a twenty-year-old male who was diagnosed with a severe stutter. Process notes were analysed based on the principle of self-reflexivity, which entails personally and systematically examining the reciprocal influences in a process. This study provides traditional conceptualisations of stuttering and comes to the conclusion that stuttering is a multifaceted phenomenon that may require a complexity of interventions. It is suggested that stuttering can be approached from an interpersonal perspective. This means that stuttering is a less effective means of dealing with other probable interpersonal problems. It is also s problem that is maintained by less effective attempts at alleviating it and by a limited scope of interactional manoeuvres. Stuttering can be addressed through interpersonal psychotherapy. The study suggests that the therapeutic approach should consider warmth, empathy, congruence, patience, therapeutic decision-making and timing. It is important to note that each client should be treated uniquely and valued as a person. Self-reflexivity is proposed as an effective way of facilitating the psychotherapeutic process, the scientific basis of this process and the development of the therapist.