Stuttering and anxiety

Mucanje je multidimenzionalan poremećaj u kojemu je tijek govora prekinut ponavljanjima riječi, slogova i glasova, produžavanjima glasova ili abnormalnim zastojima te napetim pauzama. Također, mogu biti prisutna sekundarna ponašanja, odnosno neuobičajeni pokreti lica i tijela koji su povezani s govornim naporom. Mucanje je kompleksan poremećaj koji ne utječe samo na govor pojedinca, već se može odraziti na čitav niz aspekata života pojedinca, poput poteškoća na psihičkom i socijalnom planu. Poteškoće na psiho-socijalnom planu očituju se u činjenici, da je anksioznost česta pojava kod osoba koje mucaju. Rastući broj dokaza o postojanju anksioznosti kod osoba koje mucaju, doveo je i do promjene dijagnostičkih kriterija u DSM-V, obzirom da se u DSM-IV poremećaj socijalne anksioznosti nije mogao dijagnosticirati, ukoliko je do njega došlo radi drugog poremećaja – poput mucanja. Brojna istraživanja pokazuju značajnu povezanost između anksioznosti i mucanja, koja je prisutna kod svih dobnih skupina, posebice u odrasloj dobi. Putem rezultata brojnih istraživanja koja su ispitivala povezanost te odnose između anksioznosti i mucanja, otkrivena je značajna razina anksioznosti osoba koje mucaju, koja bitno narušava kvalitetu života i opće psihičko stanje pojedinaca. Također, povišene razine anksioznosti posebice su izražene kod osoba s težim oblikom mucanja te mogu doprinijeti pogoršanju i ustrajanju poremećaja. Nadalje, obzirom na utjecaj anksioznosti na vlastiti govor i mucanje, istaknuta je važnost uključivanja kognitivno-bihevioralne terapije, kao učinkovite i znanstveno utemeljene metode, čiji je temelj otklanjanje i prevencija socijalne anksioznosti kod osoba koje mucaju. UTBAS ljestvicom prikazan je utjecaj negativnih stavova i razmišljanja o mucanju na pojedinca te je pojašnjena njena važnost i šira primjena u dijagnostici i terapiji.Stuttering is a multidimensional disorder in which the flow of speech is interrupted by repetitions of words, syllables and sounds, prolongations of sounds or abnormal pauses, and tense pauses. Also, secondary behaviors, or unusual facial and body movements associated with speech exertion, may be present. Stuttering is a complex disorder that not only affects an individual’s speech, but can affect a whole range of aspects of an individual’s life, such as psychological and social difficulties. Psycho-social difficulties are manifested in the fact that anxiety is a common occurrence in people who stutter. The growing body of evidence of anxiety in people who stutter has led to a change in the diagnostic criteria in DSM-V, since in DSM-IV social anxiety disorder could not be diagnosed if it was due to another disorder - such as stuttering. Numerous studies show a significant association between anxiety and stuttering, which is present in all age groups, especially in adulthood. Through the results of numerous studies that have examined the connection and relationship between anxiety and stuttering, a significant level of anxiety in people who stutter has been revealed, which significantly impairs the quality of life and general mental state of individuals. Also, elevated levels of anxiety are particularly pronounced in people with more severe stuttering and may contribute to the worsening and persistence of the disorder. Furthermore, given the impact of anxiety on one's own speech and stuttering, the importance of including cognitive-behavioral therapy as an effective and scientifically based method, which is based on the elimination and prevention of social anxiety in people who stutter, was emphasized. The UTBAS scale shows the impact of negative attitudes and thoughts about stuttering on an individual and its importance and wider application in diagnosis and therapy is further explained