In Tandem Cathy Sparkes and Sam Simpson

1% of the population stammers.

The term 'stammering' covers a wide range of behaviours that interrupt the natural flow of speech. People stammer in different ways – some people’s stammering is more on the outside (i.e. 'overt') and other people’s stammering is more on the inside (i.e. 'interiorised' or 'covert').

Features of 'overt' stammering

Blocks
Repetitions
Prolongations
Loss of eye contact
Avoidance of stammering (e.g. holding back and not saying what you want to; not making phone calls)
Negative feelings about stammering (e.g. anger, embarrassment, fear)

Features of 'covert' or 'interiorised' stammering

High levels of fluency
High levels of avoidance and concealing stammering (e.g. substituting feared words for other which are easier or re-phrasing your sentences; trying to pass as someone who does not stammer; not many people know that you stammer)
Strong negative feelings about stammering (e.g. shame, fear, guilt)

Stammering usually starts in early childhood. As a person becomes increasingly aware and conscious of their stammering, they develop ways of coping with different speaking situations. Over time feelings and thoughts become associated with speaking and gradually become an integral part of a person’s stammer. Consequently, stammering is no longer considered purely a speech problem. To understand the nature of a persons stammer in its entirety, you need to consider their speech patterns in the context of their associated thoughts, feelings, emotional responses and avoidance behaviours.

No two people stammer in the same way and the effects of stammering can impact on all aspects of a person’s life (e.g. home, work, relationships)