Communication attitude of Kannada-speaking adults who do and do not stutter

Abstract

The Communication Attitude Test for Adults who stutter (BigCAT) is an established measure of cognitive traits in adults who stutter (AWS). The primary purpose of the present study was to adapt and validate the BigCAT to the Kannada language. The secondary purpose was to compare AWS’ and adults who do not stutter (AWNS) BigCAT-K scores and compare AWS’ score in sub-populations in terms of severity and age. The study included a purposive sample of 100 AWS and 317 AWNS. There was high test-retest reliability and solid construct validity, as made evident by the results of the discriminant analysis and cross-validation. Further, as in other investigations with the BigCAT (Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 2019), this self-report test revealed a statistically significant group mean difference between AWS and AWNS, suggesting the presence of a negative attitude towards communication in Kannada-speaking AWS. Further, individuals with severe stuttering had a significantly higher level of speech-associated negative attitude compared to those with mild stuttering. Age does not seem to influence the AWS’ speech-associated belief system. Both of these findings augment the existing scant literature on exploring the association between stuttering severity and age on the cognitive dimension of stuttering. The outcomes establish the BigCAT-K as an effective tool in the assessment and subsequent management of stuttering.