Social Isolation in Adults Who Stutter: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Risk and Correlates

Purpose: Social isolation is a commonly reported aspect of the stuttering experience. This study qualitatively explored adult stutterers' reports of social isolation while quantitatively examining possible correlates underlying the occurrence of social isolation in this population. Method: A sample of 264 adults who stutter were asked to share their experiences of social isolation and to complete measures of personality, stuttering role identity, social disconnectedness, and perceived isolation via an internet survey. Qualitative data were analyzed via thematic content analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed via linear and ordinal logistic regression to determine the influence of various correlates on social isolation. Results: Qualitative data indicated that the experience of social isolation is common to the experience of living as an adult who stutters. Responses indicated that social isolation in adults who stutter is influenced by personality differences, environmental components, and life experiences. Self-reported diagnoses of anxiety and depression did not significantly identify adults with greater social disconnectedness or perceived isolation. Instead, those speakers who less frequently had a goal of stuttering openl y, as well as those speakers who were less extraverted, were more likely to experience greater amounts of both social disconnectedness and perceived isolation. Conclusions: Social isolation in adults who stutter is influenced by internal and external aspects of personal characteristics and experiences. Therapy, self-help/support, and intentional change can help speakers develop greater social connection, thereby decreasing isolation and the adverse impact of stuttering on their lives. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.33200520