An investigation of the effects of temporal alterations in auditory feedback upon stutterers and clutterers

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of the differential performance of stutterers, clutterers, mixed stutterer-clutterers, and normal talkers when exposed to temporal alterations in auditory feedback during oral reading. The independent variables chosen were: a simulated normal auditory feedback condition (0.001 sec), two accelerated auditory feedback conditions (0.00015 and 0.0005 sec), and three delayed auditory feedback conditions (0.100, 0.200, and 0.300 sec). Four dependent variables were investigated: total reading time, total pause time, total residual phonation time, and word production errors. On all dependent variables the stutterers and clutterers were significantly differentiated. The mixed stutterer clutterers tended to demonstrate behavior indicative of an interaction of the two component disorders. The results are discussed with reference to auditory self-monitoring and differential diagnosis.