Speech clinicians' attribution of personality traits as a function of stuttering severity

Thirty-six speech-language pathologists participated in a study to evaluate clinicians' preconceptions of persons who stutter. Each rated a designated construct (the normally fluent individual, the mild stutterer, the moderate stutterer, the severe stutterer) using a personality trait scale. Results indicated that clinicians stereotypically assign negative personality traits to all levels of stuttering severity relative to normal. Their ratings further demonstrated that stutterers are generally considered to be a homogenous group. Differentiation amongst stutterers was made only between the polar ends of the stuttering severity continuum (that is, mild vs. severe). Clinicians' sterotypical trait assignment was not related to their professional experience. Results are discussed with reference to their clinical implications.