Self-Stigma Components and the Multidimensional Experience of Stuttering in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: This study examined associations between components of self-stigma and the multidimensional experience of stuttering in adults, and explored indirect associations involving emotional reactions, avoidance, and the sequential structure proposed by the self-stigma framework.Methods: The final sample comprised 98 adults who stutter. Participants completed the Turkish versions of the SelfStigma of Stuttering Scale (4S-TR) and the Wright and Ayre Stuttering Self-Rating Profile (WASSP-TR). Pearson correlations, multiple and hierarchical regressions, covariate-adjusted sensitivity analyses, PROCESS Models 6 and 4, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted.Results: Stigma application showed the most consistent unique associations with emotional reactions, cognitive responses, avoidance, and perceived impact; these associations remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, educational level, and therapy history. Stigma awareness showed more selective associations, whereas stereotype agreement retained a unique association with avoidance. The serial indirect-effect analysis identified a significant indirect association from awareness to avoidance through agreement and application. A significant indirect association betweenstigma application and avoidance through emotional reactions was also observed. However, emotional reactions and avoidance were strongly correlated (r = .835), and CFA did not provide clear evidence of discriminant validity between the corresponding WASSP-TR subscales (latent r = .962).Conclusion: Stigma application was the self-stigma component most consistently associated with multiple dimensions of the stuttering experience. The cross-sectional design and substantial overlap between emotional reactions and avoidance preclude causal or mechanistic interpretations.