Purpose: We examined the cognitive, emotional, and physiological experiences of adults who stutter (AWS) through a trauma lens. Specifically, we explored the cumulative effects of repeated exposures to stressful stuttering moments and the ensuing environmental reactions, hypothesizing that some AWS internalize these formative interpersonal experiences and develop complex trauma symptoms during childhood that they carry into adulthood. Method: We conducted semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 AWS to understand their experiences from childhood into adulthood, across home, school, speech/language therapy, work, and social environments. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed via applied and reflexive thematic analyses to establish multilevel themes within a thematic network. Results: Many AWS experienced singular and repetitive stressful moments from stuttering, which they reported as overwhelming experiences typically within close relationships. They often faced these experiences through their formative development, causing them to develop survival responses, negative self-beliefs, and meager social connections. These maladaptive responses reinforced a complex system of defenses over time to protect themselves as they came of age. A bias toward self-preservation prevented many of the AWS from building rich social lives. Over half of the participants described dissociative sensations from stuttering or others' negative reactions to it. Conclusions: The themes align with established conceptualizations of complex trauma, lending credence to the limited evidence base that stuttering can yield trauma-related symptoms stemming from repeated overwhelming experiences within interpersonal contexts. These findings motivate future efforts to establish trauma-informed prevention and care for stutterers. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31173592
Anderson et al. (Thu,) studied this question.