The rise and fall of operant programs for the treatment of stammering

Abstract

In the sixties and seventies operant technology was used for the development of stammering treatment programs. Initial successes could not be maintained, which led to a marked decline. Some of the reasons for this are: lower effectivity than originally stated; limited clinical relevance; rigid structure which is uninspiring for the therapist; little room for individualizing the programs despite heterogeneity of clients. More recent treatments reduce these shortcomings with higher flexibility and use of cognitive techniques.