Researching the positives of stammering: what I found

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Pearl

Pearl Young tells us why she wanted to explore the positive experiences of people who stammer, and how her research findings could help to embrace stammering.

Growing up as a person who stammers, one question was always at the forefront of my mind: Why? Why did I stammer, when no one else around me seemed to?

I wanted to understand what was happening inside my brain that made speaking such a different experience for me. This desire led me to study Experimental Psychology at Oxford, with the hope that I would finally uncover the reasons behind my stammer.

While at university, I immersed myself in everything related to speech and language. I reached out to researchers and got involved in stammering-related projects. But the more I tried to understand the cause of stammering, the more I realised that this line of questioning didn't quite satisfy me the way I had imagined it would.

My research

When I started my Master's in Language Sciences at University College London, I was given the freedom to explore any topic I wanted. So, I turned to something I had known for years for inspiration: Reddit, the forum-based social media platform.

If you're part of the stammering community online, you might already know about 'r/stutter', a Reddit forum where people who stammer share their experiences, frustrations, successes and everything in between. What struck me, reading through these posts, was how raw and honest they were. These were real people sharing real moments. Some posts were heart-breaking. Others were uplifting. All were deeply human, and often deeply relatable. Reading these posts made me realise: what fascinated me most wasn't why people stammer. It was how stammering shapes peoples' lives: their relationships, their confidence, their identity. So I made that the focus of my dissertation.

I began to wonder: What about the positive experiences of people who stammer? Where was that research?

Most research on stammering focuses on the challenges — the negative social, emotional and psychological impacts of living with a stammer. And of course, those are real and important. But for me, stammering wasn't just a source of difficulty. It had sparked my academic journey and helped me connect with others in a meaningful way. I began to wonder: What about the positive experiences of people who stammer? Where was that research?

The answer was: not much of it existed.

So I conducted a qualitative analysis of 337 Reddit posts that described positive stammering-related experiences. These posts were drawn from r/stutter and offered a window into the meaningful, often uplifting, aspects of life as a person who stammers. In addition to this, I gathered quantitative data to see whether the Reddit stammering community agreed with the findings of previous (though limited) research on positive stammering experiences.

My findings

Through my research, I identified seven key themes that characterised the positive experiences shared by people who stammer:

1. Personal growth — How stammering had helped people become more empathetic, patient or resilient.
2. Challenging oneself — How people had faced fears head-on, such as giving public talks or making phone calls.
3. Accomplishment — Moments of pride, like ordering what they wanted at a restaurant or having a successful career.
4. Community — Finding belonging and support among others who stammer, both online and in person.
5. Identity — If individuals embraced stammering as part of who they are rather than something to 'fix'.
6. Transparency — The relief and confidence that comes from being open about stammering.
7. Relationships with fluent speakers — Building stronger, more understanding connections through honest conversations.

These findings don't just add to the research. They offer practical insight too. For those who don't stammer, the findings can inform how fluent people interact with those who stammer, plus how professionals offer support.

People who stammer were at the heart of this research, so above all I wanted it to offer something meaningful to us. A few insights really stood out.

First, if you haven't visited it yet, I wholeheartedly recommend checking out r/stutter on Reddit. It's a rare and valuable space for connection and support, full of the real highs and lows of being a person who stammers.

...while I may never fully answer the question of why I stammer, I've found something even more meaningful...

Then there's how people who stammer can build stronger communities. Joining support groups can feel intimidating; but the chance to meet and connect with fellow people who stammer is often rare and deeply worthwhile. I encourage anyone to take those opportunities — we deserve community. It's also important that we reach out beyond our immediate community and connect with other disabled people. Even if our conditions differ, we share common experiences.

Of course, using Reddit as a research tool came with its own set of challenges. Questions about the legitimacy of responses, sample diversity, and ethical considerations had to be carefully navigated. But the unfiltered honesty of those posts made it worthwhile.

A deeper understanding

This research affirms the value of things that many people who stammer might shy away from — being vulnerable, stepping outside of our comfort zones, and taking risks. These things are difficult, but more often than not they lead to pride, growth and a stronger sense of self. Telling employers or loved ones that you stammer can open the door to accommodations and deeper understanding. It's not always easy but as the saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy.

Getting through tough moments — even when the words barely come out — is something to be proud of. And ultimately, the people who truly matter in your life won't care that you speak differently. They'll care that you showed up as yourself.

Today, I still work in psychological research, and I hope to pursue the work I did in my Master's further. This is a path I might not have taken were it not for my own experiences with stammering. And while I may never fully answer the question of why I stammer, I've found something even more meaningful: a deeper understanding of what it means to live with a stammer, and how it can shape a person's life in complex, sometimes beautiful ways.

Stammering isn't just a difficulty to overcome — it's a part of who we are. And within it, there is strength, pride, connection and even joy.

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