STUTTERING THERAPY WITH BRITISH-ASIAN CHILDREN .2. SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPISTS PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS

This paper tested hypotheses arising from the literature on the treatm ent of stuttering in British-Asian children and adolescents, using dat a obtained from a postal questionnaire completed by 87 therapists. The results showed therapists treating lower numbers of Asian clients tha n expected but perceiving their therapy to be less effective with thei r Asian clients than with their British ones. The variables affecting therapists' perceived success were not those expected. Greater experie nce with Asian clients did not increase perceived success, nor did Asi an therapist and client sharing broadly the same cultural background g uarantee success. A satisfactory interpreter service did not lead to a higher perceived success rate, nor did postgraduate training or makin g special changes to usual working practices. On the contrary, therapi sts in the last two categories were less likely to perceive success wi th their Asian clients. Therapists identified a very wide range of cul tural factors needing special consideration in therapy, but consensus centred around parental attitudes to stuttering and to therapy.