Hollins Communications Research Institute
Driven By Research

HCRI is a pioneering institution in the continued development of research based, behaviorally oriented stuttering therapy. Our long term research on the observable features of stuttered speech has provided a strong foundation for development of practical and effective treatment programs for stuttering, including the Precision Fluency Shaping Program, and the more advanced and recent stuttering therapy program, the Hollins Fluency System™

HCRI has been a leader in the comprehensive behavior analysis of stuttered speech. We have identified a series of “fluency targets” involving articulation, voicing and respiration that can replace the distorted motor events of stuttered speech.

HCRI has also devoted work to developing specific methods of training within our therapy program. We have learned which training sequences are maximally effective and what skill levels must be attained within each step of the therapy process in order for success to follow at the next step. Laboratory derived principles of learning have been applied throughout the therapy program in order to foster effective acquisition and long term retention of fluency.

Our research has shown that the cognitive and emotional components of stuttering result directly from the presence of disturbed speech muscle movement patterns. This research has enabled us to develop methods of therapy that deal in a balanced manner with the motor, cognitive and emotional aspects of stuttering.

Research conducted at HCRI has permitted us to develop electronically based measurements of fluency skills. With our computerized instrumentation, we can measure a person’s progress through important stages within the therapy process. Our devices allow each person in therapy to receive immediate, precise feedback about the accuracy of performance on specific fluency targets. This advanced method of training within therapy provides each person with explicit knowledge of what must be done to generate fluent speech.

Additional research projects at HCRI deal with the role of sensory feedback in speech motor guidance, the detailed analysis of how stuttering is organized, and the development of improved fluency target measurement systems.

HCRI’s research continues with long-term monitoring of clients after therapy. This work helps us better define the relationships between fluency targets, training methods and the retention of fluency skills. It also guides us in making small, but important improvements within the therapy program.

Our Staff
HCRI’s staff consists of full-time clinicians, researchers and support personnel who specialize in the treatment of stuttering and in research on stuttering. Clinical staff members hold advanced credentials and have extensive experience in working with all levels of stuttering severity. Click Here to meet our staff.

View the videos at the left in order to learn more about how HCRI is advancing the understanding of stuttering and the ability to treat it effectively. This special therapy is only available at HCRI in Roanoke, Virginia USA. To receive more information by mail about HCRI’s stuttering therapy,Click Here