Social validation of post-treatment outcomes of adults who stutter who participated in CARE Model treatment: replication and extension
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Purpose: Model indicate post-treatment gains in communication competence from the perspective of participants and clinicians. A preliminary social validation study corroborated these positive treatment outcomes with ratings from the general public for a single participant in a single context. The present study was designed to replicate and extend these findings by assessing clinical outcomes from the perspective of untrained observers across multiple participants and contexts. Method: Ten adults who stutter provided communication samples one week before and after completing the Blank Center CARE Model treatment. A total of 1,110 untrained observers were recruited. Each untrained observer rated only one participant at one timepoint (pre-treatment or post-treatment) in one context (dyad or presentation), and each participant was asked to provide only one rating (communication competence or stuttering severity). Results: A significant interaction indicated that post-treatment gains were observed for communication competence, but not stuttering severity, for both contexts. Conclusions: Present findings provide further social validation of the Blank Center CARE Model of treatment. Untrained observers confirmed that participation in this strengths-based approach significantly enhances communication competence. Notably, these changes were observed regardless of pre- to post-treatment stuttering severity, lending additional support to the premise that changes in communication and fluency are independent constructs.
Authors: Geoffrey A. Coalson, Courtney T. Byrd
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W4410570854