Which studies have you participated in?

I have participated in three studies associated with the Speech Neurophysiology Lab, although I also was a part of other studies when I was younger, although I don’t precisely remember how many. When I was younger, approximately 5 years old maybe younger, I was part of the MSU Developmental Stuttering Project. It wasn’t until I was in college that I participated in another study, the SPINS study. After this, I participated in the tACS study. The third study was an online meeting, which included an interview and describing pictures.

What was your study experience like?

The most positive experience in my research participation has by far been the lab assistants and researchers. Even in the earlier studies I participated in, I distinctly remember how excited I was to arrive at these studies, simply because of the welcoming environment. Most of the time the tasks were easy to complete, the only struggle was staying alert and focused enough for the entire period of the study.

What motivated you to participate in stuttering research?

In my college years, when I chose to participate in stuttering research, I knew how adult stuttering was an area of study in need of more attention so I wanted to contribute what I could since I also learned that the pool of participants was small.

Have you learned anything interesting while participating in a study?

I learned some interesting statistics, such as how about only one percent of the adult population stutters, and of that statistic, the majority is men.

Did you have any misconceptions about research before you got involved?

Before I participated in research and overall started acknowledging my stutter more, I simply thought of myself as an introverted, nervous person. I thought there was something wrong with me, and I couldn’t speak because I was too anxious. I’ve since corrected this thinking, and coming to terms with my stutter has played a huge role in improving my mental health.

How did you learn about our research studies?

I unfortunately do not know how my mom heard of the MSU study, but I started again with stuttering research in college because of a flyer I saw outside of a Panera bathroom. From there, I’ve been a part of the mailing list of the Speech Neurophysiology Lab and it’s been easy to find out about new studies and participate in them.

What role, if any, do you think neuroscience-based research can play in the life of a person who stutters?

I think neuroscience research is instrumental in the lives of people who stutter, not only to understand better what is unique about stuttering brains, but it is also important to the well-being of people who stutter. It is unfortunate in our society that the message spread to those who stutter is that something is inherently wrong with them, maybe even that they are not as smart. This message, however, is perpetuated by uninformed individuals. Those experienced in stuttering research know those who stutter are incredibly smart and capable individuals, with often the only difficulty being the motor aspect of their speech. The continuation of this research is essential to building up individuals who stutter, as well as informing the general population of the real science behind stuttering.