Defining Stuttering

Question 1

Normal speech is filled with…

Answer 1

hesitations, pauses, revisions, etc.

-all aspects of speech that are also contained in the speech of stutterers

Question 2

flowingness

Answer 2

is forward movement, not getting stuck

Question 3

normally fluent, normally disfluent

Answer 3

mean the same thing, normal speech has a lot of errors, hesitations, revisions

it is almost abnormal to be perfectly fluent

Question 4

disfluent/disfluency

Answer 4

any break in fluency, normal disfluency or abnormal break

Question 5

nonfluent/nonfluency

Answer 5

any break in speech, normal or abnormal break

Question 6

dysfluent/dysfluencies

Answer 6

abnormal break in speech

with a “y”=stutter

Question 7

stutter/stuttering

Answer 7

description of the speech behavior and disorder itself

Question 8

why is a good definition of stuttering important?

Answer 8

• important for correct dx
• reduces subjectivity
• treatment and tracking progress
• research (ie, comparing between studies)
• sharing w. colleagues
• explaining to clients and family

Question 9

terminology we will use:

Answer 9

normal disfluencies (non-stutters)
vs.
stutters

Question 10

stuttering definition #1 (Johnson and Knott, 1936)

Answer 10

• the indentifiable “moment of stuttering” is speech nonfluency PLUS reaction by the speaker or listener
• for this definition, someone needs to notice the stutter

disfluency typology:

• interjections, partword, word, phrase repetitions
• revisions, incomplete phrases
• broken words
• prolonged sounds

Question 11

whats wrong with Johnson and Knott’s (1936) stuttering definition?

Answer 11

he doesn’t define what is normal vs abnormal

Question 12

stuttering definition #2 (Wingate, 1964)

Answer 12

3 part definition

1. disruption in verbal expression characterized by repetitions, prolongations in sounds, syllables, and words of one syllable. they occur frequently and are not controllable
2. sometimes are accompanied by accessory behaviors of speech apparatus or unrelated bodily structures
3. presence of an emotional state ranging from “excitement” or “tension” to fear, embarrassment, irritation

=immediate source of stuttering is incoordination and the ultimate cause is unknown

what’s lacking?
-phrases? no short SPCH elements included

Question 13

stuttering definition #3 (Martin and colleagues, 1960s)

Answer 13

• a “perceptual definition” of stuttering-that which a qualified observer perceives as stuttering
• if you perceive it to be a stutter is it a stutter
• this definition does not focus on a type of disfluency
• this is the definition we will use

Question 14

whats wrong with Martin and colleagues (1960s) definition?

Answer 14

• doesn’t consider the opinion of the speaker

- subjective because people may perceive different thresholds of normal vs stuttering

Question 15

stuttering definition #4 (Perkins, 1980s)

Answer 15

-the speakers feeling of “loss of control of the ability to move forward fluently in…speech”

Question 16

main issue of Perkins (1980s) definition

Answer 16

its only dependent on the speaker

Question 17

why is perkins (1980s) definition difficult to use for research>

Answer 17

• people may not always be honest
• children??
• different perceptions (interceptive awareness)
• cant get reliability data (can only relate to 1 time)

Question 18

stuttering definition #5 (Conture, 1990)

Answer 18

• within-word disfluencies are stutters and between(across)-word disfluencies are normal
• leaves out phrase level reps, fillers, which can also signify a stutter

Question 19

introspective concomitants

Answer 19

-examination of ones own thoughts and feelings

Question 20

physiological concomitants

Answer 20

-heartrate increase, sweating

Question 21

attitudes/adaptations

Answer 21

-not speaking or not ordering what they wants, changing your lifestyle

Question 22

abnormal qualities in fluent speech

Answer 22

• people who stutter speak different
• vowel changes
• rate
• acoustic/respiratory qualities differ than normal speakers