Rethink, Revise, Refresh: Exploring the Goal-Writing Process with Children and Teens who Stutter

Historically, researchers have reported that speech-language pathologists feel less comfortable treating individuals who stutter (Tellis et al., 2008). Consequently, evidence gathered by numerous researchers suggests dissatisfaction with therapy among many individuals who stutter. This dissatisfaction stems from various causes, including perceptions among those who stutter that speech-language pathologists do not always understand their lived experience of stuttering (Tichenor et al., 2022), a lack of client-clinician agreement on functionality and relevance of treatment goals (Sønsterud et al., 2019), and failure to show the true extent of progress made throughout the therapeutic journey (Sønsterud et al., 2020).

Goal-writing specifically, can present several challenges. Historically, goals have focused primarily on overt stuttering behaviors by increasing fluency and/or modifying effort to the exclusion of all else. However, as Sheehan’s iceberg analogy of stuttering suggests, stuttering is so much more than just the behavioral components (Sheehan, 1970). Clinicians who focus intervention primarily on fluency miss the opportunity to ensure that their intervention decreases the burden of living with stuttering (Tichenor et al., 2022).

During this experiential session, the presenter will invite participants to embrace a new mindset around the process of goal-writing and measuring progress with their clients who stutter. Together, participants will analyze and rework limiting goals, explore ways to gather information regarding desired therapy goals, practice creating functional goals that address the multifaceted nature of stuttering, and explore evidence-based approaches that assist in accurately measuring and showcasing the true extent of progress made in therapy.

Following this course, participants will be able to:

1. List and explain at least two characteristics of a functional goal for school-age children and teens who stutter.
2. List at least two formal/informal measures that can be used to gather information regarding desired therapy goals.
3. Create at least two functional goals for school-age children and teens who stutter.
4. List at least two ways to measure a client’s progress in therapy.

This course meets the requirement for Professional Development hours towards your ASHA renewal since it is approved by TSHA! You can count these hours towards ASHA renewal when you submit your Compliance Form.