Greg SNYDER and Meliah GRANT
The University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA
Abstract. Persistent stuttering has been documented as being generally resistant to behavioral treatment and prone to relapse, and is often associated with increased levels of anxiety. Similarly, listeners have been documented to react negatively to stuttering, and are also documented as having unfounded negative stereotypes against those who stutter, potentially resulting in a decreased quality of life for those who stutter. Accordingly, desensitization is a popular stuttering therapy technique that aims to improve quality of life, as well as improve stuttering management skills. Additionally, the fluent listening population can also benefit from desensitization by reducing negative reactions to stuttering or people who stutter. Recent studies have documented that an over-the-counter pain medication, acetaminophen (i.e., paracetamol), can reduce social/emotional discomfort and anxiety in addition to physical discomfort. The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of acetaminophen on changes of perceived personality characteristics of people who stutter after exposure to stuttering. Specifically, this study measures the effects of acetaminophen on changes in the emotional state of fluent participants as measured by the: (a) Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), (b) the Brief Mood Introspection Scale (BMIS), and (c) perceived personality characteristics of a PWS as a function of exposure to severe overt stuttering. Analysis of the pilot data suggests that acetaminophen may be significant in affecting the emotional state of participants after exposure to stuttering, as well as participants’ perceptions of people who stutter. As a result, acetaminophen may have a number of potential clinical applications in the treatment of stuttering, as well as benefit fluent listeners or professionals eager to advance their own stuttering desensitization.
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