Social Anxiety and School Refusal in Adolescents Who Stutter

We are pleased to share our publication in Pediatrics International: “Social anxiety disorder in adolescents who stutter: A risk for school refusal.”

Although support for stuttering is often available in early childhood, adolescents frequently receive far less school-based support as they move into middle and high school. In this study, our team examined the relationship between stuttering, school refusal, and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) among adolescents in Japan.

Our findings showed that 26% of adolescents who stutter were in the school refusal group, and 50% met diagnostic criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder. Adolescents in the school refusal group had significantly higher social anxiety scores than those attending school regularly.

Importantly, the emotional burden of stuttering was not simply tied to how often a student stuttered. Adolescents with comorbid SAD were more likely to experience physical symptoms such as limb tremors and repetitive negative self-thoughts after stuttering.

These results suggest that support for adolescents who stutter should go beyond speech fluency alone. Screening for social anxiety, recognizing physical signs of anxiety, and addressing negative thinking patterns may be essential for preventing school refusal and improving outcomes.

Read the full article here.

Reference:
Kikuchi Y, Kenjo M, Yoshida E, Takahashi S, Murakami D, Yamaguchi Y, Adachi K, Sawatsubashi M, Taura M, Nakagawa T, Umezaki T. Social anxiety disorder in adolescents who stutter: A risk for school refusal. Pediatr Int. 2023;65(1):e15622. doi: 10.1111/ped.15622.