Stuttering in the English Language among College Students: A Multiple Case Study

This multiple case study investigates the challenges and coping mechanisms of college students who experience stuttering when speaking the English language, addressing a gap in understanding how speech fluency issues affect academic and social participation. Guided by Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, the study aimed to explore how students’ belief in their capabilities influenced their ability to manage stuttering. Three participants from Davao Del Sur State College, each with varying degrees of stuttering severity, were purposefully selected. A qualitative approach was used, employing semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to examine their experiences. The results revealed that stuttering commonly leads to verbal communication barriers, triggering social anxiety, low self-esteem, speech fatigue, and reduced classroom engagement. Participants employed a range of coping strategies, such as breathing techniques, speech therapy exercises, code-switching, positive reinforcement, and avoidance behavior. However, the effectiveness of these strategies varied depending on individual experiences, levels of self-efficacy, and external pressures, such as academic demands. The study concludes that enhancing students’ self-efficacy plays a critical role in helping them manage stuttering and improve participation in English-speaking academic settings.