END TO ANXIETY TREATING SPEECH PROBLEMS WITH RHETORITHERAPY

The controversy over the connection between anxiety and nonproductive speech behavior can be resolved by taking note that alteration in behavior usually alters anxiety level. While many theorists recommend that treatment of anxiety will be beneficial, there is little contention that modification of anxiety alone alters skillful behavior. Rhetoritherapy is a mode of changing communication behavior through application of heuristics of problem solving and behavior change. Research studies tend to indicate a high level of success and selected case histories illustrate the process. © 1979.