What underlying process is associated with intermediate stuttering in addition to beginning stuttering?

Intermediate stuttering, which typically occurs in children who have already experienced early or beginning stuttering, often involves avoidance conditioning. This process arises when a child starts to recognize and anticipate moments of stuttering, leading them to avoid certain words, situations, or speaking altogether to prevent the feelings of embarrassment or frustration associated with stuttering.

Avoidance conditioning is characterized by the behaviors that a stutterer develops to evade stuttering experiences. Over time, these avoidance behaviors become stronger, reinforcing the stuttering pathology and creating a cycle that can lead to increased stuttering severity. This development is what distinguishes intermediate stuttering from beginning stuttering, where such conditioned responses might not yet be fully formed.

Understanding this process helps to highlight why targeting avoidance behaviors through therapy can be key in managing and reducing stuttering in children who have progressed to this intermediate stage. It emphasizes the role of learned responses rather than simply physiological or developmental factors, which may be more relevant in earlier stages of stuttering.