How to Make Friends

Research suggests that children who stutter may be at risk for increased social exclusion, bullying, and peer rejection compared to children who do not stutter. Friendship, defined by reciprocal, positive relationships with others, has been shown to increase well-being, resilience, and self-worth. The purpose of this study was to explore advice on making friends from the perspective of children who stutter. Twenty school-aged children who stutter participated in structured interviews soliciting advice for making friends for a new student who stutters and their classmates. Interviews were transcribed and coded via reflexive thematic analysis. Prevalence, directionality, and context of themes were analyzed. Thematic coding revealed 13 themes within the advice for making friends for children who do and do not stutter, and 4 unique response styles. Themes included both stuttering-specific advice and general advice applicable to all children. Guidance provided by the participants lends preliminary support to the notion that, from the perspective of children who stutter, increasing one’s self-perception as a communicator, including sharing about stuttering and stuttering openly, may facilitate the development of skills needed to initiate friendships, and consequently, the well-being of children who stutter.