Employers often overlook the true potential of individuals who stutter because of negative stereotypes about stuttering. These stereotypes include the widely held misconception that stutterers are nervous, shy, quiet, self-conscious, withdrawn, tense, anxious, fearful, reticent, and guarded.
Studies indicate that this mistake is due to people's tendency to equate stuttering with their own moments of disfluency - which may have been prompted by nervousness, fear, uncertainty, or emotional conflict. They incorrectly assume that the stutterer is experiencing similar feelings - only more so.
In fact:
- Stuttering is not caused by nervousness or emotional disturbance. Research shows people who stutter to be as emotionally stable as the general population.
- Stuttering does not indicate any lack of intelligence or competence. People who stutter are just as intelligent and competent as non-stutterers.
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