Abstract

This study queried collegiate level instructors of public speaking asking if there was a gender based difference in their attitudes and beliefs about stuttering. The survey examined for relationships between instructor level of education and: sources of knowledge, knowledge of causation and, amount of knowledge about stuttering. Communication literature searches indicated there were few, if any, studies which specifically addressed the knowledge levels, sources of knowledge and causation information for stuttering. Stuttering occurs in approximately 1% of the worldwide population so it is reasonable to expect that most collegiate level instructors would have individuals who stutter presenting in their classrooms. A Qualtrics survey, presented the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes - Stuttering, to participants across the United States who were members of the Basic Course in communication list serv or who were subscribed to CRTNET. A total of 134 individuals responded to the survey. The majority of respondents were native English speakers, with a small number speaking Spanish as a second language. Respondents represented thirty six of the fifty United States with 113 respondents reporting they actively were teaching the basic course in public speaking. Statistical analyses indicated there were no significant differences between master and doctoral level educated instructors in their: sources of knowledge; information on causation of stuttering, and; amount of knowledge about people who stutter. There were no significant differences between instructor gender and attitudes about stuttering, and beliefs about people who stutter. Findings underscored the limited amount of information which this sample of public speaking instructors possessed regarding the causation of stuttering as only 37.7% of respondents selected genetics as an underlying factor in the occurrence of stuttering. The majority of instructors reported some information to none about people who have a stuttering disorder. They indicated their knowledge was acquired through personal experiences, school, and to a lesser degree, print media.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2018

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Miller, Ann

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Communication

Degree Program

Communication; Interpersonal Communications

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0007333

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0007333

Language

English

Release Date

December 2018

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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Communication Commons

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