PhD Student

Status

I am Iris Heselmans. In November 2023 I started my PhD Fellowship Fundamental Research, granted by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO). Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Kurt Eggers, I am honored to join the team of the Stuttering Research Group at Ghent University.

Research

Within my PhD project, I investigate ‘the Role of Emotional Reactivity and Regulation in Developmental Stuttering’. Developmental stuttering is a speech disorder that originates in early childhood and is characterized by disruptions in the forward flow of speech. Despite extensive research, the exact cause of stuttering remains unknown, though it is widely accepted as being multifactorial, involving various contributing factors. Recent studies have highlighted the potential influence of emotional reactivity (how strongly an individual responds to emotional stimuli) and regulation (the ability to modulate those responses). For example, differences in emotional reactivity and regulation between children who stutter and children who do not stutter have been found, but their exact role on the onset of stuttering, including its influence on stuttering moments, behaviors secondary to stuttering, related thoughts, and the impact of stuttering remains undiscovered. Therefore, I hope to address these gaps in the literature, shedding light on the emotional dimensions of stuttering. 

Background information

In 2020, I graduated as a Speech Language Therapist at Thomas More University, Antwerp. Through the process of writing my bachelor’s thesis, I discovered my great interest in conducting scientific research, leading me to pursue further education. In 2023, I obtained a Master of Science in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences at Ghent University through a switching program. My fascination with stuttering has deepened through various academic opportunities, including both my bachelor’s and master’s thesis projects and an international internship at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research in Austin, TX. Therefore, it is a privilege to now integrate my two passions—stuttering and research—into my PhD studies.