What is a major weakness of fluency shaping?

Fluency shaping is a therapeutic approach aimed at improving the fluency of speech through techniques that encourage smooth and flowing speech patterns. A major challenge associated with fluency shaping is the difficulty in transferring these newly acquired skills to real-world situations, which is commonly referred to as generalization.

While the techniques may be effective in a controlled clinical environment, individuals may struggle to apply these fluent speech patterns in their everyday conversations, especially under pressure or in more challenging speaking contexts. This inability to generalize the skills learned in therapy to spontaneous speaking situations can hinder long-term progress and confidence in communication.

The other options relate to aspects of fluency shaping but do not highlight its significant limitation as directly as the issue of generalization. Emotional support may be enhanced during therapy, individualization can be beneficial, and assessment data may be provided; however, the successful application of learned fluency skills in varied situations remains a critical concern in the effectiveness of fluency shaping approaches.