The regulated-breathing method for stuttering: an experimental evaluation

The regulated-breathing method of Azrin and Nunn (1974) appears to be one of the most promising treatments of stuttering in adults. Their study, however, has some methodological limitations. In particular no operational definition of stuttering is provided, and all measures of stuttering are based on self-report. The present study is an experimental evaluation of the regulated-breathing method. Thirty-two subjects were randomly assigned either to treatment or to a waiting-list control group. The treatment was completed during one single session of 2-3 hours. Both frequency of stuttering and rate of speech were measured before and after treatment, and on follow-ups 2, 3 and 8 months later. The dependent variables were assessed under conditions of both phrase reading and spontaneous speech. Both obtrusive and unobtrusive measures of speech were recorded. At the 8 month follow-up, stuttering in the treatment group was significantly less than in the control group, and also significantly less than before treatment.