Clients' Experiences of Telepractice for Stuttering

Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences and perspectives of clients who stutter who are receiving telepractice treatment. Method Five adult participants (19–68 years old, Mage = 31.6, 4 men and 1 woman) who were currently enrolled in telepractice treatment for stuttering took part in semistructured interviews and Likert scale surveys conducted via teleconferencing software. Qualitative research methods were used to code and develop themes related to the interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed from participant responses to Likert scale surveys. Results Four major themes emerged from participant interviews: (a) treatment delivery preference, (b) advantages and disadvantages of telepractice, (c) comfort with technology, and (d) improvements to telepractice treatment. Quantitative results included a slight preference for in-person treatment; a strong belief that personal goals for treatment can be met via telepractice; and a strong feeling that friendly, positive relationships with clinicians can be achieved via telepractice. Conclusion Taken together, qualitative and quantitative results indicate that clients in the current study have mostly positive experiences and perspectives about treatment for stuttering via telepractice but that clients may still prefer in-person treatment.