Fluency

Question 1

If someone repeats part of syllables, whole syllables or multiple syllables, which stuttering behaviour are they demonstrating?

Answer 1

1. repeated movements

Question 2

What are the 3 types of stuttering behaviour?

Answer 2

1. repeated movements
2. fixed postures
3. superfluous behaviours

Question 3

What scale/measurement is used to determine/measure stuttering?

Answer 3

• %SS syllable stuttered
• SPM (syllable per minute): measured during speech
• SR- severity rating scale:
  
  • child 0-9
  • adult, adolescent 0-8

Question 4

When does stuttering typically commence?

Answer 4

Stuttering can be persistent and typically commences in early childhood (Persistent Developmental Stuttering)

Late onset stuttering is unusual unless precipitated by an acquired head injury or traumatic brain injury (neurogenic stuttering not the same as developmental stuttering or PDS)

Question 5

Describe ‘fixed postures’ in stuttering?

Answer 5

A block is a fixed posture in which someone may become “stuck” on a sound and look like they are unable to get it out and it may seem like they are holding their breath (e.g. ‘m—– ay’) (no audible airflow)

A prolongation is a fixed posture in which someone may become “stuck” on a sound in a word and will continue saying the sound (e.g. ‘mmmmmay’) (with audible airflow)

Question 6

If someone is stuttering and displays superflous behaviours, what would it look like?

Answer 6

Superfluous behaviours: verbal- non-verbal based on lidcombe behavioural data language (LBDL) Packman and Onslow. to describe stuttering behaviour.

• Fillers in speech (e.g. over-use of ‘filler words’ such as “um” and “ah” and are not intended to be said)
• Facial grimacing (e.g. wrinkling of the nose)
• Blinking (i.e. increased blinking when
• ‘stuttering’)

Question 7

Define stuttering

Answer 7

A disorder involving speech disruptions which normal speakers do not experience, and which may interfere with or prevent normal communication.

Question 8

Why classify and measure stuttering?

Answer 8

• language for understanding the nature of the disorder in the professional sphere
• describe stuttering behaviours so we can make a clinical judgment of the nature of the disorder in one individual and compare it to people who do and do not stutter.
• look for patterns in the stuttering behaviours and frequency of stuttering to determine the severity of the impairment

Question 9

What are affective, behavioural and cognitive reactions of people who stutter?

Answer 9

Affective: Feelings and mood associated with stuttering

Behavioural: Avoidance and safety behaviours

Cognitive: Thoughts and beliefs associated with speaking and stuttering

Question 10

What are speaking conditions that may increase stuttering?

Why is this important to consider in assessment?

Answer 10

• Audience variables (size and percieved variables)
• Status of conversational partner
• Speaking situation

It is important for the clinician to know the affect of different situations on the client’s stuttering so that they can get various representative samples of the stuttering behavours.

Question 11

Reference for LBDL?

Answer 11

Lidcombe Behavioural Data Language (LBDL)

(Packman & Onslow, 1998)

Question 12

Why measure stuttering?

Answer 12

Why Measure Stuttering:

• assessment of speech and affective reactions to communication (anxiety)
• establishes a reference point for evaluating change over time
• Informing treatment goals
• quantifying severity and impact can highlight discrepancies e.g. when client is highly anxious (severe anxiety measure) but low frequency of stuttering (mild severity). Helps inform clinical issues and options for treatment
• assists in evaluating treatment progress
• assists in monitoring daily changes

Question 13

What is the rating scale that is used for children (in Australia)?

Answer 13

Children 2-12 years

Lidcombe Program Severity Rating Scale

10 point scale (0-9)

Question 14

What is the rating scale that is used for adults (in Australia)?

Answer 14

Adults and Adolescents

Camperdown Scale 9 Point Scale

0 = No stuttering

8= most severe stuttering the person believes they have experienced

Question 15

What is a naturalness measure?

Answer 15

A scaled measure that is used when treatments involve speech restructuring (prolonged speech, smooth speech or any new pattern of speaking that alters how speech sounds in the treatment phase).

Camperdown Program uses a Naturalness rating Scale 0-8 where 0 = completely natural sounding speech

8 + when using the new speech pattern in the instatement phase of treatment and speech sounds extremely unnatural

See Onslow, 2020 p. 116

Question 16

What is an example of an adult assessment that measures social anxienty related to stuttering?

Answer 16

UTBAS-6 Shortened Version (Iverach et al., 2016)

(Unhelpful Thoughts, Beliefs about Stuttering)

Question 17

What is an example of a child assessment that measures social anxienty related to stuttering?

Answer 17

Spence Anxiety Scale for Children (SASC)

(Spence, 1998)

Has been shown to have acceptable reliability for use with

adolescents (see, Spence et al., 2003)

Question 18

What is SPM and why use it?

Answer 18

Syllables Per Minute.

• Number of syllables spoken, divided by accumulated speaking time.
• Not a measurement of stuttering, rather;
• Useful to measure speaking rate. If reduction in syllables stuttered, we need to check that it is not because there have been less syllables spoken.

Question 19

What is %SS and why use it?

Answer 19

Percent syllables stuttered.

Number of stuttered syllables divided by syllables spoken x 100.