「嚼む」身体と共に生きる : 吃音自助組織での語りにみる吃音対処法の意味

This study focused on the narratives of individuals who stutter to examine the process by which their self-image is improved in a self-help group. According to previous sociological studies, individuals who stutter tend to remain silent to protect their dignity, as stuttering violates the turn-taking rules of natural conversation. However, the participants in the group spoke freely with one another at meetings. It appeared to the observer as if the participants were not self-conscious about their stuttering. We analyzed the content of conversations at meetings as well as the life histories of 13 participants who had been enduring the stigmatization of their stuttering since childhood. Their conversations appeared to focus on practical issues regarding how to cope with their suffering rather than on functional questions about how to correct stuttering. Participants tried to speak continuously in the meeting despite their stuttering, and such conversations enabled them to practice coping tactics and fight stigma.