Electrophysiological measurement during a time-out procedure in stuttering and normal speakers

Abstract

Eight stuttering and eight normal speaking subjects were given a time-out (TO) procedure during reading. Simultaneous measures of heart rate and galvanic skin response were obtained in order to infer anxiety level during the TO period. Multivariate and univariate analysis of variance procedures indicated that stutterers, when compared to normals, initially relax during a TO period compared to base rate levels. Near the latter part of the TO period stutterers anticipate the onset of speech and become relatively more anxious. This anxiety level increases even more during the actual speech intervals. Normal speakers resent the intrusion of the TO interval and become more anxious during this period.