What Causes Stuttering?

This animation was developed as a resource for adolescents who stutter. It's based on the P&A model and explores some of the possible causes of stuttering. Enjoy! © Copyright Lorna Betts, 2015.

References:

Ettel, G., Nathanson, I., Ettel, D., Wilson, C. & Meola, P. (2012). How Do Adolescents Access Health Information? And Do They Ask Their Physicians? The Permente Journal. 16(1): 35–38. PMCID: PMC3327109

Mcallister, J. Collier, J. & Shepstone, L. (2013) The Impact of Adolescent Stuttering and Other Speech Problems on Psychological Well-Being in Adulthood: Evidence from a Birth Cohort Study. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 2013, Vol.48(4), p.458-468

Skinner, H., Biscope, S., Poland, B. & Goldberg, B. (2003) How Adolescents Use Technology for Health Information: Implications for Health Professionals from Focus Group Studies. Journal of Medical Internet Resources. 5(4): e32. doi: 10.2196/jmir.5.4.e32

[arkhamquinn]

I only stutter when I'm nervous which is like 80% of the time

[lo_quat]

I didn't know so many people have I felt like the only one.

[alexatorres]

I stutter and people make fun of me so I just stopped talking at school

[Jess-rsbn]

I can't talk about my stutter, I literally can't....

[JALegends]

I hate that there are classes in which participation is part of the grade

[kayleighdewa]

it's so hard not to stutter. it feels like something's holding you back and if you try to fight it, the worse it gets :(

[lukewilliams]

Well guys... tomorrow I'm off to an interview, so wish me luck. Of course I'll stammer, but that isn't going to hold me back from my hopes and dreams.

[AA-imvz]

i stutter so much, i cry myself to sleep at night..

[Leon]

Read a book out loud in class? Oh man, my middle school and high school days were bad. When we had to go around the room and read a page each, I would count how many kids were before me and quickly count to the page that I would end up reading. If the first sentence started with a vowel, I wanted to kill myself. LOL.

[II-gnlk]

The breaks in the narrative to wait for the pictures to finish made this unwatchable for me.

[makai.]

I was born with a stutter, and I feel all of u guys. I know what it's like having people finish ur sentences, mimic u, laugh at u, and doing presentations in front of the class is the worst. Luckily for me I am big enough to stand up for my self so I never had any bullies

[housepitality]

I stutter, but it only happens when I talk to a friend or a family member
guess its because I get too close to them or something

[dekngpasig]

this disease.. I cant find a job always rejected :(

[Halovs]

I stutter, I went up to a girl I liked and tried to ask her for her name. I was like this "Whats your n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-name" The following day, she started running away from me (literally) in fear that I was going to talk to her. Honestly, Ive never been so upset in my life

[weinertickjellibellipumkin]

I remember in gym i started stuttering and my friends laughed at me and we had to get into groups and they kicked me out and I started stuttering even more.

[tide]

if you have stuttering problems, try not to talk to fast, and speaking with a soft quiet voice can also help you talk a little better, but not too quiet lol but make sure the person can hear you. some tricks i've learned. i used to stutter all the time when i was young


im glad i've grown out of it and i hope you all can too

[yeahhi]

I have had a stutter for as long as I can remeber and I used to hate it so much! People used to (sometimes still do) judge me, laugh at me or mimic my stutter, even some of my family members. I have gotten better over the years a lot! I used to not be about to say a word that started s with out dragging it out until I ran out of breath and then it would happen again. And I wouldn't be able to finish a sentence for a while or not at all and repeat my words. I have taught myself how to stop my s problem but thats all. Only people who have had a stutter would know how bad and embarrassing it can be. If you see someone with a stutter don't be a jerk and mimic them or laugh or judge them. We get too much crap for something with have little or no control over. I went through a stage where I would never talk because of it. If you see someone with a stutter please just try and help them with the word and dont make a sence about it.

[kenny]

I only stutter when I am nervous or really scared and I can't say my I's

[VWGTI]

Do you know that if u sing you wont stutter? My uncle has a stutter and was the singer in a band. He never stuttered while singing.

[degucitas]

Back in college I had an art instructor who had a stutter and a tic in his left eye. Hard not to feel bad for him, but I'm sure he didn't need my pity.