ACADEMIC AND CLINICAL PREPARATION AND PRACTICES OF SCHOOL SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS WITH PEOPLE WHO STUTTER

One-hundred-fifty-seven Indiana school speech-language pathologists re sponded to a survey regarding their educational and clinical preparati on and their current clinical practices with people who stutter. Respo ndents described and evaluated the quantity and quality of their acade mic coursework and clinical experiences, as well as their current clin ical procedures for diagnosing;and treating stuttering. Speech-languag e pathologists also estimated their clinical competence with their cli ents who stutter at two junctures in their careers: (a) following comp letion, of academic/clinical training, and (b) currently. Respondents reported receiving insufficient academic and clinical preparation to w ork with people who stutter. In addition, nearly half of those surveye d reported that their current clinical skills are inadequate for manag ing stuttering. Findings ale interpreted as confirming and extending t he growing body-oi literature that documents the need for the improvem ent and expansion of educational and clinical opportunities in stutter ing for speech-language pathologists in training and those in professi onal practice.