In 1936, Dr. Wendell Johnson from the University of Iowa wanted to find out if stuttering was the result of biology or if it was a learned behavior. The Monster Study did not get its name because it involves actual monsters, but because of the unethical methods used in the experiment.

Twenty-two orphans were selected to participate in the study. Some of the orphans had stutters and some did not. All the participants were split up into two groups containing both orphans that stuttered and did not stutter. One group was labeled as the ‘normal speakers’ and the other group got labeled as the ‘stutterers’.

The orphans from each group were then brought in every few weeks for a five-month period and were evaluated on how they spoke. The ‘normal speakers’ were given positive speech therapy and were praised for their ability to speak well, even if they actually had a problem speaking. The ‘stutterers’ were given negative speech therapy and were told they spoke poorly and that they should never speak unless they can do it right.

Although the study was created with good intentions, the results showed the danger of its methods. The orphans that were in the ‘normal speakers’ group saw minimal improvement in their speech. The orphans in the ‘stutterers’ group had much worse results. Six of the orphans in the ‘stutterers’ group did not actually have a stutter, and of the six, five of them developed speech problems and became withdrawn or stopped speaking completely. The youngest of these six orphans was only 5 years old. The orphans in the ‘stutterers’ group also started to do worse in school.

Due to the unresolved psychological trauma caused to the ‘stutterers’ group, the results were never published and the orphan participants did not know they were a part of the experiment until sixty years after it occurred.

This study is extremely unsettling, and the fact that some participants developed lifelong negative effects is upsetting. The results, however, showed important implications not just in speech therapy, but in all methods of education, especially for younger children. Positive reinforcement in education, although showing little effect in this experiment, is important for the growth and well-being of children. I was lucky enough to grow up being taught by kind-hearted and passionate educators. This study shows the severe impact that a negative instructor can have on a student’s mental and physical health and proves how important educators are in our society.