What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to challenge the proposed two-factor approach to treat early stuttering through speech modifications.

July 12, 2026American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology1 citations

Not So Simple, and Not So Fast: The Limits of Speech Rate and Turn-Taking Modifications for Treatment of Early Stuttering. A Response to Onslow et al. (2026)

NRNan Bernstein RatnerUniversity of Maryland, College Park

Key Points

The aim is to challenge the proposed two-factor approach to treat early stuttering through speech modifications.
Argumentative response to the two-factor approach with evidence from existing literature.
Comparison of pilot data with a larger scale, longer duration study in the same journal.
The new approach lacks novelty as it's not different from existing methods.
Larger studies show no correlation between speech rate, turn-taking, and stuttering recovery.
Modifications may inadvertently negatively affect parental speech patterns.

Abstract

Purpose: We argue against suggestions for a new “two-factor” approach to early stuttering that counsels rate and turn-taking adjustments to child-directed parental speech. Conclusion: We find that (a) the suggested approach is not new; (b) the limited pilot data are directly contradicted by a much larger scale, longer duration study published in this journal this year that shows no relationships between rate and turn-taking and recovery from stuttering; (c) rate and turn-taking adjustments may bring with them additional negative changes in parental speech; and (d) the proposed treatment continues to emphasize the role of parents in determining recovery from stuttering, a belief with insufficient evidence and which carries potential harm.

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