Dysfluency in a service member with comorbid diagnoses: a case study

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Neuroscience
• Military Medicine

Background:

• Increased dysfluency observed in service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Comorbid diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are common.
• Stuttering can be a complex symptom influenced by psychological and neurological factors.

Observation:

• A case study of a service member with comorbid PTSD, mTBI, and stuttering.
• Evaluation included observational and standardized assessments (Stuttering Severity Instrument-4).
• Treatment focused on fluency strategy education and practice for skill generalization.

Findings:

• The service member showed favorable response to a short course of fluency treatment.
• Psychogenic stuttering, as a symptom of psychological diagnoses, responded well.
• The National Intrepid Center of Excellence's (NICoE) patient-centered care model was effective.

Implications:

• Psychogenic stuttering in service members may require integrated treatment addressing underlying psychological health.
• Patient-centered care models can effectively manage complex comorbid conditions in military populations.
• Early intervention and tailored fluency strategies are crucial for improving communication and overall function.