How speech patterns form and get reinforced

In our approach, we see stuttering as something that happens in patterns: particular ways of organizing speech movements that repeat, and that become stronger the more often they repeat.

Stuttering is not random

Moments of stuttering do not always fall on the same words or sounds, so they can look unpredictable, both to the person speaking and to listeners. In our experience, behind these moments there are recurring patterns: certain sound combinations, certain positions in a sentence, certain situations, and certain physical reactions such as tension in the lips or jaw. (NIDCD; ASHA)

Because the patterns are not always obvious, they usually go unnoticed. Finding them takes careful attention. See recognizing your own stuttering patterns.

How a pattern becomes established

Speaking is something we do thousands of times a day. Whatever way of producing speech the body uses, it uses very often. In our approach, we see every moment of stuttering as one more repetition of that way of speaking. When a pattern happens again and again, it is practiced again and again, and it gets written deeper into muscle memory. This is how a pattern gets reinforced, without anyone intending it.

Our view is that the speaking mechanism has been trained, through constant repetition, in a way that works against fluent speech. That is also the reason we focus on training: what has been established by repetition can, in our approach, be changed by new repetition.

It is not your fault

These patterns form automatically and unconsciously. They are not a choice, and they are not caused by nervousness, by emotional trauma, or by the way parents raise their children. (ASHA; Stuttering Foundation) Stress and time pressure can make stuttering more noticeable, but they do not cause it. (ASHA; Stuttering Foundation)

Where research fits in

Researchers describe stuttering as the result of several factors working together, including genetics and the way the brain plans and coordinates speech. (ASHA; NIDCD) Our approach does not dispute this. It adds a practical question: which parts can be trained? The brain stays adaptable throughout life, and structured speech training can measurably change how the brain controls speech. (Neumann et al., 2005; Kell et al., 2009)

What this means for you

If patterns are established through repetition, they can be identified and retrained. That is the idea behind the three parts of our approach: identifying your stuttering patterns, pattern-based training, and re-training your muscle memory. Read on: muscle memory and speech and how new patterns replace old ones.