Which technique focuses on reducing fear through voluntary engagement with stuttering?

Stuttering modification is a technique designed to help individuals manage their stuttering more effectively by addressing the emotional and cognitive aspects associated with it. This approach places significant emphasis on reducing fear and anxiety linked to stuttering by encouraging voluntary engagement with stuttering behaviors. This process typically includes techniques such as 'cancellation', 'pull-outs', and 'preparatory sets', which help individuals accept their stuttering and cope with it in a more adaptive manner.

Through stuttering modification, clients are taught to stutter more easily rather than trying to eliminate stuttering altogether. This voluntary engagement allows individuals to confront their fear of stuttering in a controlled environment, ultimately leading to reduced anxiety and improved feelings of self-control when speaking. By normalizing and accepting stuttering, clients can develop a more positive relationship with their speech.

Other techniques, like fluency shaping, focus primarily on strategies to improve speech fluency and do not specifically target emotional responses. Similarly, speech avoidance therapy centers on altering behavior to avoid situations that might trigger stuttering, while direct verbal communication might refer to a more general communication strategy without the specific therapeutic focus on stuttering. Therefore, stuttering modification emerges as the most relevant technique that effectively reduces fear through voluntary engagement with stuttering.