Background: Voluntary stuttering has long been used clinically as a form of desensitization to reduce negative emotional and cognitive reactions to stuttering. However, because previous research has primarily focused on changes in overt fluency, the potential of voluntary stuttering to reduce emotional distress remains unclear.Methods: This research used a mixed-method design to examine voluntary stuttering via two studies. Study One was a phenomenological qualitative investigation, consisting of semi-structured interviews with adults who stutter. These interviews explored how participants used voluntary stuttering and the emotional changes they experienced. The goal was to provide a better understanding of the relationship between voluntary stuttering and desensitization. Study Two employed a mixed-method approach, combining a quantitative measure of distress and a qualitative interview. Participants were asked to rate their distress during a picture description task, both with and without voluntary stuttering. They were then asked to reflect on their experience during a debrief interview. Results: The results of both studies provided evidence that voluntary stuttering can facilitate desensitization and thereby reduce emotional distress associated with stuttering. In Study One, participants reported decreased fear, increased comfort, and greater confidence as a result of voluntary stuttering. Study Two supported these findings, mirroring desensitization effects seen during the early stages of other exposure therapies. This supports the notion that voluntary stuttering is a form of exposure therapy. The debrief interviews provided further understanding of the exposure experience. For example, participants reported that voluntary stuttering became easier with time. And, even though some moments of voluntary stuttering turned real, voluntary stuttering made speaking easier overall. Conclusions: These results indicate that voluntary stuttering is a useful therapeutic intervention for addressing the affective and cognitive aspects of stuttering. Findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of voluntary stuttering, suggesting that it functions similarly to other forms of exposure therapy. Both studies also indicated that the achievement of desensitization through voluntary stuttering was dependent on how the clinician presented the skill and on the individual speaker’s ability to tolerate the initial discomfort that accompanied the introduction of voluntary stuttering. Clinicians must be mindful of these factors when incorporating voluntary stuttering into therapy.
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