Mood state sub-types in adults who stutter: A prospective study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Mental Health

Background:

• Adults who stutter frequently experience heightened negative mood states, including anxiety and depression.
• Understanding the temporal dynamics and sub-types of mood in this population is crucial but remains under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct trajectories (sub-types) of mood states in adults who stutter over a six-month period.
• To determine baseline factors that predict membership in these mood sub-types.

Main Methods:

• 129 adults who stutter completed monthly assessments of mood states (interpersonal sensitivity, depressive mood, anxiety) for six months.
• Latent class growth mixture modeling was employed to identify mood trajectories.
• Logistic regression analyzed baseline factors associated with interpersonal sensitivity sub-types.

Main Results:

• Three-class trajectory models provided the best fit for interpersonal sensitivity, depressive mood, and anxiety.
• Approximately 60% of participants exhibited stable, normal mood states.
• Up to 40% fell into sub-types characterized by elevated negative mood states.
• Low perceived control, low vitality, heightened social fears, and being female predicted higher interpersonal sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• The study reveals distinct mood sub-types in adults who stutter, offering insights for targeted interventions.
• Further research is needed to differentiate the impact of stuttering versus pre-existing mood conditions on these sub-types.