Behaviors at the onset of stuttering

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to identify speech and nonspeech behaviors associated with the stuttering of children close to the onset of their problem. Ten stuttering children (nine boys and one girl) were identified through a) parent interviews indicating that these children begun stuttering during the previous 12 months prior to data collection, and b) the presence of 3 or more stutterings per 100 words of conversational speech. Fourteen associated speech and nonspeech behaviors and speech dysfluency type were identified and quantified for 10 stutterings from each of the 10 subjects. The 14 associated behaviors and speech dysfluency type were further reduced to form three indices: a) Sound Prolongation Index, b) Nonspeech Behavior Index, and c) Behavioral Variety Index. Results indicated that all of the children exhibited speech and nonspeech behaviors in association with their stuttering. Additionally, chronological age did not significantly correlate with any of the three indices investigated. Findings are taken to suggest that the quantification of speech dysfluency type and the speech and nonspeech behaviors associated with stuttering are more sensitive than chronological age as indicators of the development of stuttering.