Microaggression and the adult stuttering experience

• Published in: Journal of communication disorders 2022-01, Vol.95, p.106180-106180, Article 106180
• Main Authors: Coalson, Geoffrey A., Crawford, Alexus, Treleaven, Shanley B., Byrd, Courtney T., Davis, Lauren, Dang, Lillian, Edgerly, Jillian, Turk, Alison
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Focus Groups; Humans; Microaggression; Quality of Life; Stuttering; Workplace
• ISSN: 0021-9924; 1873-7994; 1873-7994
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106180

•Seven adults who stutter described their experiences with microaggression.•Qualitative analysis of focus group discussion identified eight common themes.•Patronization, second-class status, and perceived helplessness were dominant themes.•Exoneration of the listener was identified as an equally dominant theme.•A preliminary framework describing stuttering-based microaggression is provided. Microaggressions are subtle insults, invalidations, or slights that target people due to their association with a marginalized group. Microaggressive experiences have been shown to degrade quality of life and corroborate negative stereotypes towards persons with disabilities. To date, minimal research has been dedicated to exploring microaggressions within adults who stutter. Seven adults who stutter participated in semi-structured focus group interviews similar to Keller and Galgay's (2010) qualitative investigation of microaggressions experienced by adults with a disability. Group interviews were transcribed and analyzed using QSR NVivo software to develop themes and subthemes. Eight major themes were identified within two supraordinate themes: Microaggressive Behavior (patronization, second-class status, perceived helplessness, workplace microaggression, clinical microaggression, denial of privacy) and Perception of Microaggressive Behavior (exoneration of listener, no or minimal microaggressive experience). Although patronization, second-class status, and helplessness were mentioned frequently by multiple participants, exoneration of the listener was the most frequently recurring theme. Based on these preliminary focus group interviews, stuttering-based microaggressions broadly resemble ableist microaggressions reported by Keller and Galgay (2010). Interviewees also expressed a reluctance to identify slights related to stuttering as microaggression and often characterized these incidents as unavoidable.