World Stuttering & Cluttering Organization

We dedicate ourselves to advancing science, education, practice, and advocacy in stuttering and cluttering. Our commitment lies in fostering interdisciplinary research on the nature, treatment, and impacts of stuttering and cluttering on individuals and families.

Our mission encompasses disseminating and supporting professional education about stuttering and cluttering, promoting the application of high-quality research to practice, nurturing excellence in service, and encouraging innovation. Crucially, we aim to support advocacy for “choices and voices” in stuttering and cluttering.

WSCO Members at the 2018 Joint World Congress in Hiroshima, Japan.

Since 1989, we have provided professional expertise to raise awareness about issues affecting our community. Our aims and objectives are accomplished by expanding our global community, which includes researchers, clinicians,  specialists, and people who stammer and clutter.

Continuing to foster dialogue, we organize our triennial Congress, maintain our peer-reviewed Journal (JFD), and arrange webinars and Global Workshops.

We acknowledge excellence in the field of stuttering and cluttering through awards recognizing outstanding research, practice, and service. These projects play a crucial role in creating opportunities for professionals to exchange knowledge and information, fostering collaborations through our World Congress Bursaries.

Stuttering

A speech pattern that often involves disruptions or interruptions in the flow of speech. These disruptions can manifest as repetitions (repeating sounds, syllables, or words), prolongations (lengthening of sounds), or blocks (moments of silence or pauses).

These features may be accompanied by struggle behaviors (e.g., eye blinks or lip tremors) and may result in feeling anxious, frustrated, and embarrassed. These variations in speech rhythm might result in a distinctive pattern of communication that diverges from typical speech norms. Such variations can impact social interactions and communication experiences, potentially influencing how individuals engage in conversations, express themselves, or participate in various social contexts.

Cluttering

A speech pattern characterized by a rapid and/or irregular rate of speech. Individuals who clutter might speak faster than usual, resulting in the blending or telescoping of sounds or words.

This rapid speech rate can sometimes lead to occasional disorganization of language, making the speaker’s message less clear or organized. Cluttering can affect the fluency and flow of communication, potentially influencing how individuals are understood in social settings. It may impact mutual understanding during conversations, affecting the dynamics of interaction between speakers.

Executive Board

The administrative and policy-making body of the organization, comprises of both voting and non-voting members. It actively fulfills the administrative and policy-making roles within the organization.

Courtney Byrd
President
Hope Gerlach-Houck
Treasurer
Jean Sawyer
Member at Large
Kurt Eggers
Past President
Naomi Rogers
Secretary
Rodney Gabel
President Elect
Shelly Jo Kraft
Past Treasurer

Ex officio Members

Julie Anderson
Editor in Chief, Journal of Fluency Disorders
Katrin Neumann
Editor in Chief, Journal of Fluency Disorders

Committees

The work of the organization is done by the Executive Board, Directors and members of Committees aligned with the organization’s mission.

Dillon Pruett
Congress Organizing Committee
Evan Usler
Research and Publication Committee
Hope Gerlach-Houck
Finance Committee
Jaqueline Carmona
Practice Committee
Jean Sawyer
Membership Committee
Katie Winters
Congress Organizing Committee
Seth Tichenor
Advocacy Committee
Sharon Millard
Awards and Congress Bursaries Committee