The influence of stutterer's expectancies of improvement upon response to time out

The influence of the variable of stutterers' expectancies of improvement upon the efficacy of response contingent time out from speaking was investigated. Fourteen male stutterers were exposed to 4 conditions: base rate, time out plus enhanced expectancies of improvement, base rate, and time out plus allayed expectancies of improvement. Subjects' expectancies of improvement were manipulated by the administration of a placebo and instructions. Results indicated that time out produced significant reductions in frequency of stuttering under both expectancy conditions, and that the efficacy of the procedure under one condition was not significantly different from its efficacy under the other. Other data collected allowed an independent check to be made of results obtained by previous investigators on the subjective effects of time out. Discrepancies between the findings of other researchers and those of the present study are discussed.