The Australian Stuttering Research Centre, located at Sydney University, is developing a program to treat social phobia in people who stutter. The developed treatment, a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) program, will include online therapy.
Mark Onslow, the foundation director and a famous figure in stuttering treatment and research, explains that although stuttering is a physical disorder, the social anxiety that is sometimes created by it is not always addressed or treated by a speech therapist. The condition in its most severe form is defined as “a morbid and debilitating fear of being socially humiliated,” and results in an overwhelming fear of social situations. Dr Onslow estimates about 60% of stutterers have severe social anxiety that could be alleviated by treatment.
The clinic is currently evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment with adults who stutter.
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