VKC Member Robin Jones, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Hearing & Speech Sciences. His research focuses on emotional and speech-language contributions to the pathogenesis of childhood stuttering. A short-term goal of his work is to determine factors that may contribute to the onset of stuttering as well as identifying valid and reliable markers that may indicate risk for persistence of stuttering. A long-term goal of his program of research is to inform future diagnostic and treatment protocols for childhood stuttering.
In the interview below, Jones shares his personal connection to his research, describes his current work investigating childhood stuttering, and highlights how becoming a member of the VKC enhances the work he does.
How did your become interested in developmental disabilities research. Do you have a personal connection to disability?
I have been a person who stutters for as long as I can remember. My communication and daily life activities were significantly impacted by stuttering throughout my school-age years and adolescence. When I went to college at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), I planned to major in a field that I thought would require little talking—such as Computer Science. However, during my first year, I had transformative experiences receiving speech therapy for stuttering from Paul J. Malott, a speech-language pathologist who was an expert in stuttering and a person who stutters himself. These therapeutic experiences began a long journey that involved reducing self-stigma surrounding stuttering and forever changed my experience of stuttering and the impact it had on my life.
I changed my major to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, taking academic courses and conducting multiple research projects during my undergraduate training. I completed my master’s degree at The Ohio State University, followed by a clinical fellowship, and pursued doctoral studies at Vanderbilt University under the mentorship of Dr. Edward G. Conture—one of the most prolific teacher-scholars in developmental stuttering. My personal experiences with stuttering led me to discover my passion for research, particularly on developmental disabilities, and I am forever grateful for my mentors and wonderful colleagues at Vanderbilt that have shaped my path in this profession.
I have another connection as well. My son is autistic, and this has provided a newfound connection to research in developmental disabilities. Now more than ever, I am so appreciative of the important work that all the members of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center do to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.
What are your current research interests/projects?
Developmental stuttering emerges in 5-8 percent of children between 24-60 months of age. However, stuttering resolves for most of these children by the age of 7. My research focuses on identifying processes that contribute to the early onset of stuttering and risk for persistence. Cross-sectional studies in my lab have demonstrated that children who stutter, compared to children who do not stutter, exhibit differences in emotional, cognitive control, and speech production processes. These studies have motivated our current longitudinal research designed to identify whether emotional reactivity and/or its impact on speech-related motor processes, such as inhibition and speech initiation, confer heightened risk for stuttering persistence.
To address these aims, we are conducting a largescale longitudinal study of young children who stutter over three-year period to determine whether our diverse set of caregiver report, behavioral, and neurophysiological measures predict outcomes (e.g., persistence vs. resolution of stuttering). Further, we will evaluate whether our measures of emotional reactivity and emotion-related inhibition and speech initiation yield significant improvements to our ability to predict outcome when combined with other established measures associated with stuttering persistence (e.g., stuttering severity, sex, etc.).
How might this research have an impact in the lives of people with disabilities and their families?
This research may impact the lives of people who stutter and their families in several ways. Our longitudinal study of young children who stutter is designed to result in a set of prognostic indicators of stuttering persistence that can be translated to clinical assessment and the development of novel treatment approaches in the future. Further, given the high rates of stuttering resolution in young children, it is very difficult to identify treatment effects versus spontaneous, unassisted recovery from stuttering.
This project will allow researchers to better evaluate the effects of early intervention due to an improved ability to distinguish persistent from transient cases. In addition, both our longitudinal research and collaborative research on genetics will contribute to our mechanistic understanding of contributors to stuttering. This is knowledge that I hope will help reduce stigma and negative attitudes associated with stuttering. In summary, this research has the potential to improve assessment, treatment, and counseling related to developmental stuttering—improving outcomes and experiences of people who stutter and their families.
What are your reasons for becoming a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) Member?
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center has provided numerous resources and opportunities that have supported my research during my time at Vanderbilt. My cross-sectional research that I mentioned above was supported by a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Hobbs Discovery Grant, which was foundational for my current longitudinal research. Further, the wonderful staff and resources at the VKC, such as those that support recruitment of participants, are critical to conducting our research.
My research is also interdisciplinary, and the collaborative environment and wonderful colleagues at the VKC have contributed meaningfully to the work that I do.
Lastly, the VKC’s intentional work to comprehensively engage with people with disabilities, their family members, and other stakeholders serves as an important reminder to consider the broad impact of our work.
