Effectiveness and stability of differential interventions in mitigating negative attitudes of Indian university...

Although many interventions have improved public attitudes toward stuttering, varying percentages of participants either show no effect or demonstrate worse attitudes following intervention. In non-intervention attitude studies using test-retest measures, people with negative attitudes tend to improve, while those with already positive views tend to decline. This has been termed a "crossover" effect that is an extreme example of regression to the mean.

Aims of the study were to evaluate both the effectiveness and stability of tailored or differential interventions based on summary scores on an initial Public Opinion of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and also to document the presence and/or extent of the "crossover" effect in pre (1st) versus post (2nd) POSHA-S scores.

38 University students were assigned as participants. They were further divided by thirds into highest, intermediate, and lowest subgroups based on POSHA-S pre-test scores, as recommended in a recent series of research studies. These subgroups received tailored or differential interventions. Attitudes were measured at pre-test, at post-test, and at one- and two-month follow-ups.

The interventions improved attitudes; however, distinctive subgroup effects of interventions tailored to the highest, intermediate, and lowest subgroups could not be ascertained. However, when sorted according to positive, minimal, or negative change from the 1st to 2nd POSHA-S Overall Stuttering Scores, a "crossover" effect emerged wherein low scorers became high scorers, and vice versa. The participants showed significant improvements with marginal stability.

The results of this study support previous research calling for more effective strategies for tailoring interventions designed to mitigate negative public attitudes toward stuttering to different population subgroups.