The modification of stuttering behavior through systematic desensitization and reactive inhibition

Abstract

The phenomenon of stuttering has been an enigma to mankind for centuries. It has a history that dates back at least to the ancient Egyptians. Stuttering has been mentioned in the Bible, and Moses is reputed to have been a stutterer. Aristotle, Aesop, Demosthenes, Vergil, Erasmus, Charles Lamb, and Sir Winston Churchill are among the famous who have been afflicted by this disorder. The mystery of its conception and maintenance has led to countless speculations, theories, and therapies, many of which were as mysterious as the disorder itself. In early centuries, stuttering was believed to be of a physical origin. Later theoreticians assumed that there were deep psychological disturbances that caused stuttering. Modern theorists expound on the hypothesis that stuttering is a learned behavior.