Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Paradoxical Intention Technique on Enhancing Perceived Competence in School-Age Boys with Stuttering Disorder

Authors
taeebeh delshad
parisa kolahi
leylasadat modaresi
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the paradoxical intention technique in enhancing perceived competence among school-age boys with stuttering disorder. Stuttering disorder is recognized as one of the most common speech disorders in children, which can exert significant negative impacts on their perceived competence, self-confidence, and psychosocial functioning. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test-post-test and a control group. The statistical population consisted of boys aged 7 to 12 years referred to the Atieh Darakshan Mind Clinic and Niaava Clinic in Tehran, with purposive sampling employed. Ultimately, 30 children were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 participants each). The measurement instrument was the Children's Perceived Competence Questionnaire (Parandin, 2006). The experimental group underwent the paradoxical intention technique intervention over 10 sessions (twice weekly), comprising structured exercises designed to modify cognitive-emotional patterns related to speech performance and promote positive self-evaluation, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results indicated that the paradoxical intention technique significantly enhanced perceived competence in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the paradoxical intention technique can be employed as an effective psychological intervention to improve perceived competence and support mental health in children with stuttering disorder.
Keywords
Paradoxical intention technique
perceived competence
Stuttering disorder
School-age children
Broomfield, N. M., & Espie, C. A. (2021). Initial insomnia and paradoxical intention: An experimental investigation of putative mechanisms using subjective and actigraphic measurement of sleep. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 31(3), 313–324. Link
Blood, G. W., Blood, I. M., Tellis, G., & Gabel, R. (2022). Communication apprehension and self‑perceived communication competence in adolescents who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 26(3), 161–178. Link
Hagger, M. S., Blair, S. N., & Chatzisarantis, N. (2019). Factors associated with young children’s self-perceived physical competence and self-reported physical activity. Health Education Research, 23(1), 125–136. Link
Hertsberg, N., & Zebrowski, P. M. (2018). Self‑perceived competence and social acceptance of young children who stutter: Initial findings. Journal of Communication Disorders, 64, 18–31. Link
Jansson‑Fröjmark, M., Alfonsson, S., Bohman, B., Rozental, A., & Norell‑Clarke, A. (2021). Paradoxical intention for insomnia: A systematic review and meta‑analysis. Journal of Sleep Research, 30(4), e13385. Link
Nagai, Y., Nomura, K., Nagata, M., Kaneko, T., & Uemura, O. (2018). Children’s Perceived Competence Scale: reevaluation in a population of Japanese elementary and junior high school students. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 12(36). Link
Molini‑Viol, F., Basso, K., & Herbst, M. (2015). Impact of stuttering severity on adolescents’ domain‑specific and general self‑esteem through cognitive and emotional mediating processes. Journal of Communication Disorders, 55, 1–11. Link
Niemistö, D., Barnett, L. M., Laukkanen, A., Tolvanen, A., & Sääkslahti, A. (2023). Perceived motor competence in early childhood predicts perceived and actual motor competence in middle childhood. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. Link
Ong, G. S. C., Lazar, A. S., & Broomfield, N. M. (2025). Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of online‑delivered paradoxical intention therapy among adults with insomnia symptoms and high sleep effort. International Journal of Psychology & Psychological Therapy, 25(2), 151–166. Link
Ota, M. (2024). Self‑esteem of children who stutter: Communication facet of self‑evaluation and importance. Japanese Journal of Educational Psychology, 55(4), 501–513. Link
Salim, O., Jansson‑Fröjmark, M., Sandlund, C., & Norell, A. (2024). Paradoxical intention as a treatment for insomnia disorder: Study protocol for a mixed‑methods pilot trial. BMJ Open, 14(10), e086676. Link
Schuengel, C., Voorman, J., Stolk, J., Dallmeijer, A. J., Vermeer, A., & Becher, J. G. (2006). Self‑worth, perceived competence, and behaviour problems in children with cerebral palsy. Disability and Rehabilitation, 28(17), 1251–1258. Link
van Valkenburg, J. V., Di Paolo, A., & Müller, M. (2024). Paradoxical interventions in psychotherapy: A scoping review on ‘how’ and ‘when’ they should be employed. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 5(4), 69. Link
Shapiro, D. R., Moffett, A., Lieberman, L., & Dummer, G. M. (2023). Perceived competence of children with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 99(1), 13–27. Link
Winters, G., & Byrd, C. T. (2021). Self‑perceived communication competence in adolescents who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 70, 105848. Link