Stuttering-assessment intervention

Question 1

Name 3 types of stuttering and how they can be identified

Answer 1

Repeated movements

• syllable repetition
• incomplete syllable repetition
• multi syllable repetition

Fixed postures

• with audible airflow (eg ‘mmmmmy name)
• without audible airflow

Superfluous behaviours

• verbal eg not part of intended utterance like a filler ‘oh well’
• nonverbal eg tapping with hand or head movement

Question 2

Name strategies that can eliminate stuttering

Answer 2

Adults: changing rhythm of speech
Children: Response contingent stimulation (e.g Lidcombe program)

in some cases stuttering can disapear without formal treatment through ‘natural spontaneous recovery’. This doesn’t apply to every client.

Question 3

Define stuttering

Answer 3

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

Symptomatic definition:
disruption of fluency of verbal expression which is characterised by involuntary, audible or silent, repetitions or prolongations in the utterance of short speech elements, namely sounds, syllables and words of one syllable. The disruptions usually occur frequently or are marked in character and are not readily controllable.

Question 4

What effects can stuttering have on an individual?

Answer 4

Anxiety
Quality of life (social phobia)
mental health disorders (panic disorder)

Question 5

What causes stuttering?

What percentage of people stutter?

Answer 5

• 10% of people will stutter in some part of their life.
• Genetics are involved in the cause and course of -stuttering
• more adult males stutter than females. females are more likely to recover from stuttering.
• there are more mild cases than severe cases

Question 6

When does stuttering start?

Answer 6

• onset in preschool years between 2 and 4 years of age and can develop in a chronic condition.
• onset can be sudden and during a stage of rapid language development

Question 7

Who is more affected by stuttering?

Answer 7

More adult males stutter than females.
Females are more likely to recover from stuttering.
There are more mild cases than severe cases

Question 8

Predictors of natural recovery in stuttering

Answer 8

Gender (female)
Age (very rare to recover after age of 6)
family history of natural recovery
phonological skill

• these predictors can only give hints. not give certainty that it wont manifest into a chronic stutter.

early treatment is more responsive to treatment than advanced stuttering

therefore early intervention is highly advisable

Question 9

Which of the following examples best represents a part syllable repetition stuttering behaviour:

1. my-my-my name is John
2. m-m-m-my name is John
3. my name-my name-my name is John
4. my …….. name is John

Answer 9

2.m-m-m-my name is John

Question 10

Identify some of the conditions under which stuttering behaviours decrease

Answer 10

• Repeated readings
• Changing speech
• Reduced speech rate
• Chorus reading
• Shadowing
• Rhythmic speech
• Delayed auditory feedback
• Frequency altered feedback
• Masking
• Response contingent stimulation

Question 11

What are the three subtypes of repeated movements?

Answer 11

Syllable repetition e.g My my my my tiger
Incomplete syllable repetition e.g Bi bi bi bi birthday
Multisyllable repetitions e.g I was I was I was I was at the park

Question 12

What are the two subtypes of fixed postures?

Answer 12

With audible airflow (prolongation) e.g Ssssssssnake

Without audible airflow (block)

Question 13

What are the two subtypes of superfluous behaviours?

Answer 13

Verbal (interjections) e.g umm, I mean, like, phonation

Non-verbal e.g eye rolling, lips moving, blinking