Stammering resources

These web pages provide resources for SLTs who work with people who stammer. We recommend that you also view our resources on cluttering

Back to Stammering and Cluttering

Last updated October 2025

RCSLT Guidance Info
The RCSLT develops guidance to promote good clinical and professional practice in line with HCPC standards. Please read our statement on guidance to understand how it is developed and how to use it.
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RCSLT Guidance Info
The RCSLT develops guidance to promote good clinical and professional practice in line with HCPC standards. Please read our statement on guidance to understand how it is developed and how to use it.
Download IconDownload as PDF

Research and evidence

 

Some key resources and pieces of research are highlighted on these pages but they are not exhaustive and you should always carry out your own searches relating to a specific topic area, to be assured that you are accessing the most up-to-date research and evidence.

Useful starting points include SpeechBITE™, What Works and Evidence Maps from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). You can access over 1,600 titles via the RCSLT journals collection.

You need to use your own critical appraisal skills when considering the quality of any piece of research, whether found on these pages or elsewhere. This will include consideration of how relevant it is to your practice and the specific people you are working with.

Please see our pages on evidence-based practice for more support on finding and critically appraising research evidence.

 

Systematic reviews

We have highlighted systematic reviews here because, if well-conducted, they should take into account all the relevant evidence relating to a specific research question, then appraise and synthesize this in way which can help inform decision-making. However, you still need to use your own critical appraisal skills when considering the quality of a systematic review, as with any piece of research.

 

Cochrane reviews

Cochrane Reviews are systematic reviews of primary research in human health care and health policy, internationally recognised as the highest standard in evidence-based health care. Search the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

  • Sjøstrand, Å. et al. (2021) Non-pharmacological interventions for stuttering in children six years and younger, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2021(9). doi:10.1002/14651858.cd013489.pub2.

Other systematic reviews

 

Other key research

Impact of stammering on quality of life

  • Boyle, M.P. (2015) Identifying correlates of self-stigma in adults who stutter: Further establishing the construct validity of the Self-Stigma of Stuttering Scale (4S). Journal of fluency disorders, vol. 43, pp. 17-27.
  • Coalson, G.A., Crawford, A., Treleaven, S.B., Byrd, C.T., Davis, L., Dang, L., Edgerly, J. & Turk, A. (2022) Microaggression and the adult stuttering experience. Journal of communication disorders, vol. 95, pp. 106180-106180.
  • Constantino, C., Campbell, P., Simpson, S (2022) Stuttering and the social model. Journal of Communication Disorders, 96, p. 106200 doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106200.
  • Constantino, C.D., Eichorn, N., Buder, E.H., Beck, J.G. & Manning, W.H. (2020) The Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering: Measuring Spontaneity. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research, vol. 63, no. 4, pp. 983-1001.
  • Daniels, D.E., Boyle, M.P. & Archer, B.E. (2023) Stuttering, Intersectionality, and Identity: A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals Who Stutter. Language, speech & hearing services in schools, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 82-95.
  • Pierre, J.S. (2019) An introduction to stuttering and disability theory: Misfits in meaning. In Campbell, P., Constantino, C. & Simpson, S, Stammering Pride and Prejudice: Difference not Defect. J&R Press, 3-18.

 

Therapy effectiveness

Palin Parent Child Interaction Therapy

  • Millard, S.K., Edwards, S. & Cook, F.M. (2009) Parent-child interaction therapy: Adding to the evidence. International journal of speech language pathology, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 61-76.
  • Millard, S.K., Zebrowski, P. & Kelman, E. (2018) Palin Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: The Bigger Picture. American journal of speech-language pathology, vol. 27, no. 3S, pp. 1211-1223.

 

Lidcombe Program

  • Hayhow, R. (2011) Does it work? Why does it work? Reconciling difficult questions. International journal of language & communication disorders, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 155-168.
  • Jones, M. et al. (2005) Randomised controlled trial of the Lidcombe Programme of early stuttering intervention. BMJ, 331(7518), p. 659. doi:10.1136/bmj.38520.451840.e0

 

Lidcombe Program and Palin PCI

  • Onslow, M. & Millard, S. (2012) Palin Parent Child Interaction and the Lidcombe Program: Clarifying some issues. Journal of fluency disorders, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 1-8.

 

Lidcombe Program and Demands and Capacities

  • de Sonneville-Koedoot, C. et al, (2015). Direct versus indirect treatment for preschool children who stutter: the RESTART randomized trial. Plos One.

 

Camperdown Program

  • O’Brian, S., Onslow, M., Cream, A. & Packman, A. (2003) The Camperdown Program: Outcomes of a New Prolonged-Speech Treatment Model. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 933-946.

 

Block Modification Therapy

  • Everard, R.A. & Howell, P. (2018) We Have a Voice: Exploring Participants’ Experiences of Stuttering Modification Therapy. American journal of speech-language pathology, vol. 27, no. 3S, pp. 1273-1286.

 

Models of disability

  • Bailey, K., Harris, S.J. & Simpson, S. (2015) Stammering and the Social Model of Disability: Challenge and Opportunity. Procedia, social and behavioral sciences, vol. 193, pp. 13-24.
  • Pierre, J. S. (2012) The Construction of the Disabled Speaker: Locating Stuttering in Disability Studies. Canadian journal of disability studies, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 1.

 

Functional Neurological Disorder

  • Baker, J., Barnett, C., Cavalli, L., Dietrich, M., Dixon, L., Duffy, J.R., Elias, A., Fraser, D.E., Freeburn, J.L., Gregory, C. and McKenzie, K., (2021) Management of functional communication, swallowing, cough and related disorders: consensus recommendations for speech and language therapy. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 92(10), pp.1112-1125.
  • McKenzie K, Hilari K, Behn N. An exploration of UK speech and language therapists’ treatment and management of functional communication disorders: A mixed-methods online survey. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2024 Nov-Dec;59(6):2752-2765. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.13113. Epub 2024 Sep 17. PMID: 39287357.

Key journals

 

For full reference list used to develop guidance page see: Stammering and cluttering references

Research priorities

Action for Stammering Children in partnership with the James Lind Alliance, worked with young people who stammer, parents of children who stammer, researchers and SLTs in collaboration with RCSLT, STAMMA, Woodroffe Benton Foundation. This partnership was able to determine the priorities for future research. Information about the process and the priorities can be found here:

Guidelines

 

NICE guidelines

Quality standards

Other guidelines

Legislation and policy

 

UK-wide

 

England

 

Scotland

 

Wales

 

Northern Ireland

Learning resources

Books

  • Berquez, A. & Jeffery, M. (2024), Solution Focused Brief Therapy with Children and Young People Who Stammer and Their Parents. A Practical Guide from the Michael Palin Centre. Routledge.
  • Bull, C. Finer, A. Sowerbutts (2025) My Stammer and Me: Supporting Children and Young People who Stammer. Routledge
  • Burns, K. & Northcott, S. (2023) Working with Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Healthcare Settings. Routledge.
  • Campbell, P., Constantino, C. and Simpson, S. (2019) Stammering Pride and Prejudice: Difference not defect. Albury: J & R Press Ltd
  • Cheasman, C., Everard, R. and Simpson, S. (2013) Stammering therapy from the inside: New perspectives on working with young people and adults. Guilford: J & R Press.
  • Kelman, E. and Nicholas, A. (2020) Palin parent child interaction therapy for early childhood stammering. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.
  • O’Leary, I. (2025) Working with Children and Young People who Stammer. (3rd Edition) Routledge.
  • Stewart, T. (2022) Navigating Adult Stammering: 100 Points for Speech and Language Therapists. Taylor & Francis.
  • Stewart, T. (2016) Stammering. A resource book for teachers. Routledge.

 

Website resources

 

Awareness raising dates

 

Videos

Useful organisations

 

STAMMA: www.stamma.org

  • This UK charity campaigns for social change and collaborates with organisations to help them work in ways that are more inclusive for their staff, customers and service users who stammer. They also offer a range of information and support for adults including support groups across the UK, parent workshops, Minecraft Club, and employment support, advocacy and helpline and webchat services.

 

Action for Stammering Children: www.actionforstammeringchildren.org

  • This UK charity supports children and young people who stammer, their families, SLTs and schools by providing information and resources, championing research, and influencing policy and societal change.

 

50 Million Voices https://www.50millionvoices.org/

  • This international network and UK charity has the goal of transforming the world of work for people who stammer.

 

Stammerers Through University Consultancy (STUC) https://www.stuc-uk.org/

  • The world’s only initiative which solely aims to support student and staff in higher education who stammer.

 

The Scottish Stammering network https://www.scottishstammeringnetwork.org/

  • The dedicated Scottish charity supporting and empowering those who stammer.

 

The Stuttering Foundation https://www.stutteringhelp.org/

  • The Stuttering Foundation provides free online resources, video training resources, services and support to those who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering.

 

Certified European Stuttering Specialists https://certifiedeuropeanstutteringspecialists.eu/

  • An international organisation to support therapists to develop and maintain their specialist skills in stuttering and cluttering therapy.

 

Specialist therapy organisations

The following organisations provide specialist therapy for people who stammer. They also offer professional training courses for SLTs.

 

Clinical Excellence Networks:

For other stammering CENs see the RCSLT CEN directory.

Related RCSLT resources

 

  • Position statement on Stammering : We have created a position statement to help raise understanding of the role of speech and language therapy and SLTs in supporting people who stammer. It can be used to help make business cases or to pass to stakeholders and decision makers you are working with.

 

  • Stammering overview  : These pages provide guidance and information for non-clinicians about stammering. You can signpost service users and their friends and families to these pages so that they can learn more about the effects of stammering and how speech and language therapy interventions and knowledge can be used to support people who stammer in their everyday lives