The Lidcombe Program for Stuttering: How It Works and What the Evidence Shows
The Lidcombe Program is a parent-delivered treatment for young children who stutter: parents comment on stutter-free and stuttered speech, guided by an SLP. In a 54-child trial, stuttering fell to 1.5% of syllables vs. 3.9% in controls at 9 months. A 2021 Cochrane review rated the evidence very low certainty.
How the Lidcombe Program works
ASHA describes the Lidcombe Program as an operant treatment: it uses reinforcement to change behavior. Caregivers are trained to give verbal contingencies — comments that follow a child’s stutter-free or stuttered speech — so that positive reinforcement strengthens fluent speech and stuttered speech is “corrected,” in ASHA’s word.1
In the trials reviewed by Cochrane, parent and child visited a speech and language therapist in clinic (one trial by telephone), and at each visit parents were taught how to conduct the treatment at home. Visit frequency and home practice varied, and the program is designed to take one to two years.3
What the evidence shows
| Study | Children | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Jones et al. 2005 (BMJ), New Zealand | 54, aged 3–6 | Stuttering at 9 months: 1.5% of syllables vs. 3.9% in controls (P = 0.003) |
| RESTART trial 2015, Netherlands | 199, aged 3–6 | Not stuttering at 18 months: 76.5% (Lidcombe) vs. 71.4% (RESTART-DCM), not significant |
| Cochrane review 2021 | 151 across four trials | Lower stuttering frequency than wait-list controls (mean difference −2.16% syllables stuttered); very low-certainty evidence |
The Cochrane authors cautioned that most included trials had a high risk of bias, that none reported adverse effects or communication attitudes, and that long-term effects could not be summarized. They called for more independent research.3
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The wider debate
ASHA notes that treatment focused mainly on increasing fluency is considered by some to be ableist, and that contemporary, stuttering-affirming approaches emphasize confident, effective communication. Families differ in what they want from treatment, and ASHA asks clinicians to respect those beliefs. Discuss goals openly with your child’s SLP; ASHA’s ProFind lists certified SLPs.1,5
About SpeechStep
SpeechStep is practice for speech sounds; it does not deliver the Lidcombe Program or any stuttering treatment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Lidcombe Program?＋
A treatment for stuttering in young children in which parents, trained by an SLP, give verbal contingencies — comments that follow the child’s stutter-free speech and stuttered moments. ASHA classifies it as an operant treatment, alongside Palin Parent–Child Interaction therapy.
Does the Lidcombe Program work?＋
Trials show it reduces stuttering compared with no treatment. In a New Zealand trial of 54 children aged 3–6, stuttering at nine months was 1.5% of syllables with Lidcombe versus 3.9% without. A 2021 Cochrane review pooled four trials (151 children) and found lower stuttering frequency than wait-list controls, but judged the evidence very low certainty with high risk of bias.
How long does the Lidcombe Program take?＋
The Cochrane review notes the program is designed to take one to two years to complete, and that no child in the included trials had finished it when outcomes were measured.
Is Lidcombe better than RESTART-DCM?＋
Not clearly. In the RESTART trial of 199 preschoolers, Lidcombe reduced stuttering faster in the first three months, but at 18 months 76.5% of Lidcombe children and 71.4% of RESTART-DCM children were not stuttering — not a significant difference.
Put this into practice today
Try the free speech delay quiz, or start daily AI speech practice — every child takes one SpeechStep at a time.
References
5 sources from authoritative bodies. Last reviewed October 2026.
- 1.ASHAFluency Disorders — Practice Portal page.
- 2.Peer-reviewedJones et al. — Randomised Controlled Trial of the Lidcombe Programme of Early Stuttering Intervention — Randomized controlled trial (BMJ), 2005.
- 3.Peer-reviewedSjøstrand et al. — Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Stuttering in Children Six Years and Younger — Cochrane systematic review, 2021.
- 4.Peer-reviewedde Sonneville-Koedoot et al. — Direct Versus Indirect Treatment for Preschool Children Who Stutter: The RESTART Randomized Trial — Randomized controlled trial (PLoS One), 2015.
- 5.ASHAASHA ProFind: Find a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist — Referral directory.