Approaches for treating adult stutterers directly targeted at speech behaviors

Abstract

This article provides a brief overview of approaches used to treat adults who stutter that directly target speech behaviors, especially fluency shaping, stuttering modification and the integrated approach. We referred to outcomes of research into the efficacy of these approaches conducted in recent years. Future issues in the field of adult stuttering therapy in Japan were discussed. It is necessary to develop assessment tools which have adequate reliability and validity and to improve the expertise in stuttering of speech-language-hearing therapists. We also need more clinics and hospitals which can treat adult stuttering cases and more and better research into treatment outcomes.