Abstract  - Janeiro a Julho de 2026

 

 

 

 

A brief treatment program for acquired neurogenic stuttering following cyberknife radiation surgery: An experimental case study report and listener perception study - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

Case Reports J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar 14:88. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000239?via%3Dihub

 

L De Nil et al

University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Closing the Gap Healthcare, Toronto, Canada; University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Adult Recreation Therapy Centre, Brantford, ON, Canada; Speech Hens, ON, Canada.

 

Acquired neurogenic stuttering (ANS) is a speech fluency disorder that is characterized by speech disfluencies similar to those seen in developmental stuttering (DS). The disorder typically has an onset in adulthood following a neurological health condition such as stroke, brain trauma or neurodegenerative disease. This paper reports on an experimental brief virtual fluency treatment with an adult male who developed ANS following radiation surgery for the treatment of a brain tumour. Following the treatment, the participant showed a notable improvement in speech fluency, greater acceptance of residual stuttering, and higher quality of life associated with increased communication confidence and improved social integration. Evidence of quantitative and qualitative measures of speech improvement were supported by a perception study involving listeners with and without expertise in speech-language pathology. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of even short treatment protocols for ANS.

PMID: 41886807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106215

 

 

 

[A case of progressive supranuclear palsy with progressive non-fluent agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia who could sing fluently] - OUTRAS ÁREAS

[Article in Japanese]

Rinsho Shinkeigaku. 2026 Mar 14. Online ahead of print.

 

Yasuko Mori et al

Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine; Gifu University Hospital; Hokkaido University.

 

The patient was a 65-year-old man. He visited the hospital complaining of gait disturbances and difficulty speaking. He was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy because of slow vertical eye movements, frequent falls, and freezing gait; these symptoms were levodopa-resistant. The patient also had aphasia similar to non-fluent agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia, stuttering, and palilalia. However, he was able to sing a familiar song fluently. In contrast, for an unfamiliar song, he could not begin singing without the lyrics, and was more accurate at reading aloud than singing. Nonfluent aphasia with preserved singing ability has been reported in patients with stroke and trauma. However, this has rarely been reported for neurodegenerative diseases. This phenomenon may be due to the functional preservation of the right hemisphere and the left temporal lobe. The familiar song may have been stored in long-term memory as a set of lyrics and melody, and he may have produced it as automatic language.

PMID: 41833368 DOI: 10.5692/clinicalneurol.cn-002124

 

 

 

A case report: celiac disease and pediatric stuttering - AVALIAÇÃO

Case Reports Turk J Pediatr. 2025 Dec 24;67(6):892-895.

Free article: https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/6395

 

Birce İzgi Akçay et al

Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye; Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.

 

Background: Celiac disease is an immune-mediated disorder known to manifest not only with gastrointestinal symptoms but also with a wide range of extraintestinal features, including neuropsychiatric conditions.

Case presentation: We describe the case of a 4-year-old girl who presented with isolated stuttering. Serologic tests revealed elevated anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies, and a diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed by duodenal biopsy. A strict gluten-free diet was initiated. The patient's speech disorder began to improve by the sixth month of treatment and resolved completely by the twelfth month of dietary adherence.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of considering celiac disease in the differential diagnosis of speech disorders in pediatric patients, especially when no other underlying cause is identified.

PMID: 41636189 DOI: 10.24953/turkjpediatr.2025.6395

 

 

 

A conversational agent as a virtual therapist for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia: A preliminary study - OUTRAS ÁREAS

PLoS One. 2026 Feb 27;21(2):e0343519

 

Izabela Stefaniak et al

Lazarski University, Warsaw, Poland; Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland.

 

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thinking, emotions, and behavior. Emotional dysregulation is a significant clinical issue. Recent years have seen growing interest in the use of conversational agents in mental health care, including for schizophrenia. This study explores the use of a conversational agent as virtual therapist (Terabot) designed to support the recognition and regulation of three emotions (anger, shame, and fear) in hospitalized individuals with schizophrenia. The pilot study aimed to assess the acceptability of this innovative intervention, focusing on protocol implementation, technical performance, and patient experience.

Methods: The study employed a mixed-methods design involving 35 inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia (ICD-10: F20.0-F20.9). Quantitative evaluation was based on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and a structured acceptability survey, while qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on patients' open-ended responses and facilitators' notes. Research procedures followed COREQ standards.

Results: The study involved 35 patients; 34 completed the quantitative scales, and 32 completed the acceptability survey. The quantitative findings suggest that patients generally have a positive attitude toward the analyzed items, particularly Terabot's clarity of communication, friendly appearance, and the usefulness of its therapeutic exercises, whereas scores for empathy and emotional understanding were only moderate. The qualitative analysis revealed three main areas of patient experience: (1) the therapeutic relationship with Terabot, including both perceived strengths and clear limitations in relational depth, (2) the perceived usefulness of therapeutic exercises, especially relaxation techniques, and (3) Terabot's physical features, such as its appearance and voice. Patients highlighted contemporary nature of the tool, as well as its limitations, including technical issues (such as freezing and stuttering), rigid communication, insufficient personalization of exercises, and a lack of empathy. Facilitators' observations confirmed these limitations while also noting patient engagement and openness to technological innovation.

Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that Terabot may be an acceptable and potentially useful tool for supporting therapeutic work with patients with schizophrenia. However, the findings must be interpreted with caution, given the study's exploratory design, the time-limited therapeutic intervention, and technical limitations. Enhancements in relational responsiveness, dialogic flexibility, and the range of therapeutic exercises are necessary before drawing more definitive conclusions. Moreover, controlled clinical trials are required to evaluate Terabot's effectiveness and its capacity to foster a stronger therapeutic alliance.

PMID: 41758794 PMCID: PMC12948111

 

 

 

A descriptive phenomenological exploration of how people who stutter experience the U.S. labor force - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 5:88:106201 Online ahead of print.

 

Cody W Dew & Rodney M Gabel

Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA.

 

Purpose: Stuttering can lead to negative workplace experiences; however, there remain gaps in understanding the breadth of experiences people who stutter have throughout key stages of labor force participation (e.g., applying and interviewing, beginning a new job, maintaining a position, establishing professional relationships, and seeking promotion). The current study bridges this gap by exploring the experiences of people who stutter when participating in the U.S. labor force.

Method: This study utilized a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the essential experiences of adults who stutter throughout labor force participation. Ten adult participants who stutter currently employed in the U.S. labor force were recruited and engaged in semi-structured interviews about their personal experiences. Transcript data were thematically analyzed to develop themes and subthemes reflecting prevalent experiences.

Results: Four themes emerged that characterized participants' experiences throughout labor force participation, highlighting the central role of internal experiences alongside supportive, ambiguous, and exclusionary workplace actions. Internal experiences were described by participants as having the greatest influence on the quality of working life. Adverse workplace actions, while widely recognized, were described as occurring less frequently than supportive or ambiguous experiences.

Conclusion: Findings describe participants' labor force experiences as shaped not only by workplace actions, but also by their internal experiences in response to those actions.

PMID: 41687246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106201

 

 

 

A lifelong journey with stuttering: Experiences of adults who stutter in Türkiye - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Apr 5:88:106218. Online ahead of print.

 

Sevinç Tüysüz et al

Kütahya Health Sciences University, Kütahya, Türkiye.

 

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how adults who stutter in Türkiye experience stuttering across the life course and interpret their therapy experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten adults who stutter and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three overarching themes were identified: growing up with feelings of conditional acceptance, living under anticipated negative evaluation, and reconstructing agency in therapy. Participants described stuttering as a relational and context-dependent experience shaped by social expectations across childhood and adulthood. Therapy was valued less as a means of eliminating stuttering and more as a space for developing awareness, acceptance, and communicative agency. The findings highlight the importance of therapeutic approaches that attend to emotional, relational, and everyday dimensions of stuttering within the Turkish sociocultural context.

PMID: 41955690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106218

 

 

 

A Meta-Analytical Review of Executive Function Skills in Adults Who Stutter - PROCESSUAL

Review J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Apr 10;69(4):1595-1630.

 

Levi C Ofoe et al

University of West Georgia, Carrollton; Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City; The University of Texas at Austin.

 

Purpose: Executive function has been identified as a potential area of vulnerability in individuals who stutter. The present study identified and analyzed the data across empirical studies of the executive function skills of adults who do (AWS) and do not stutter (AWNS).

Method: Electronic databases, literature reviews, and reference sections of articles and dissertations were searched to identify candidate studies that examined behavioral measures of working memory, inhibition, and/or cognitive flexibility. A total of 39 studies met the eligibility criteria for this meta-analysis. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the pooled effect sizes (Hedges's g) and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: AWS were significantly less accurate than AWNS on measures of working memory (Hedges's g = -0.41, p < .001), including nonword repetition (Hedges's g = -0.57, p < .001), forward digit span (Hedges's g = -0.23, p = .02), backward digit span (Hedges's g = -0.38, p = .004), and operation span tasks (Hedges's g = -0.37, p = .018). AWS performed comparably to AWNS on inhibition measures (Hedges's g = -0.10, p = .37). An insufficient number of published studies were available to conduct a meaningful analysis of cognitive flexibility.

Conclusions: Present findings suggest that AWS, as a group, exhibit weaknesses in one component of executive function-working memory-compared to AWNS. Additional research is necessary to determine potential differences in inhibition and cognitive flexibility in AWS.

PMID: 41805429 DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00303

 

 

 

A multicultural perspective of stuttering in the workplace - SOCIAL

J Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr:120. Epub 2026 Jan 18.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021992426000134?via%3Dihub

 

Angela M Medina et al

Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA; Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana, USA.

 

Purpose: It is well-documented that people who stutter face inequities and discrimination in the workplace; however, there exists a gap in the literature regarding what the workplace is like for people who stutter with intersecting, marginalized identities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the workplace experiences of culturally diverse people who stutter (CDPWS) through the lens of the intersectional ecological framework.

Methods: Qualitative methods were adopted for the collection and analysis of data. The seven participants in this study completed an online questionnaire and participated in a semi-structured focus group. Transcripts generated from the focus group were investigated using thematic analysis procedures.

Results: The data gave rise to five major themes as well as multiple subthemes: (1) Disclosure at work, (2) Career-specific challenges, (3) Motivations for choosing career, (4) Intersectionality, and (5) Roles of others in the workplace.

Conclusion: This study offers a novel view of the workplace experiences of CDPWS by adopting qualitative methods and using the intersectional ecological framework to enhance thematic analysis findings. While the workplace-based concerns revealed in this study are similar to those described in previous literature, a major difference was the sentiment that CDPWS bring two types of "baggage" to their jobs, their stuttering and their race/ethnicity. The findings of this study have clinical implications for the imperativeness of having open conversations with clients about the identities that intersect with their stuttering and how this impacts them in different aspects of their lives, including the workplace.

PMID: 41570754 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106628

 

 

 

A Phase I Trial of iLidcombe: Online Treatment for Young Children Who Stutter - TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Apr 27:1-12. Online ahead of print.

 

Fiona Ross & Mark Onslow et al

University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Bond University, Queensland, Australia.

 

Aim: The aim of this Phase I trial was to assess the safety, compliance, and potential efficacy of iLidcombe, a standalone internet version of the Lidcombe Program for young children who stutter.

Method: We used a prospective single-group design involving 6 months of access to iLidcombe. Assessments occurred pretreatment and after 6 months of access. Participants were 20 parents of young children who stuttered.

Results: There was evidence of stuttering severity reduction after using iLidcombe for 6 months. Compliance with the program was favorable, and there was no suggestion of any psychologically adverse impact on children.

Conclusion: The results of this Phase I trial provide a roadmap for further Phases II-IV clinical trial development.

PMID: 42043393 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-25-00448

 

 

 

A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Perceptions of Parents and Children Participating in the Lidcombe Program for Early Stuttering in Turkiye  - ERRATUM

Corrections/Errata| June 23 2026

 

No authors listed

 

Abstract

In the article "A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Perceptions of Parents and Children Participating in the Lidcombe Program for Early Stuttering in Turkiye" [Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2025; https://doi.org/10.1159/000548660] by Subasi et al., the copyright license has been changed to a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.The original online article has been updated to reflect this.

PMID: 42334986 DOI: 10.1159/000552796

 

 

 

A professional perspective on EBP in stuttering: How far have we come in 20 years? - CONCEITO

Review J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106171. Epub 2025 Nov 17.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000737?via%3Dihub

 

Nan Bernstein Ratner & Shelley B Brundage

University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; George Washington University, Washington, DC , USA.

 

This article reviews a critique by Bernstein Ratner (2005) to identify progress made in applying EBP to stuttering intervention and areas in which less progress has been observed. Among indices of progress are plentiful basic science and therapy outcomes reports, broader views of effectiveness, and increased representation of people who stutter in program development and evaluation. Among concerns we discuss are: (1) continued disconnects between basic science to understand the nature of stuttering and the therapies we employ with our clients; (2) a need for better understanding of causal mechanisms and mediators of change in stuttering interventions; and (3) specific challenges that make it difficult to know if therapies for early stuttering work significantly better than spontaneous recovery. We also discuss the (4) merits of broadening goals for preschool-aged children and their families; and (5) discuss potential negative ramifications of weakly supported interventions and recommendations for children whose stuttering persists past preschool. We conclude with a section on (6) important questions and populations that we believe remain under- investigated.

PMID: 41313921 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106171

 

 

 

A Proof-of-Concept Study of Gamified Rhythmic Training in Preadolescents Who Stutter - PSICOMOTOR

Randomized Controlled Trial Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2026 Mar. Epub 2026 Jan.

Full text: https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/nyas.70188

 

Kevin Jamey et al

Centre for Research on Brain, Montreal, Québec, Canada; Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada; Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada; VIZJA University, Warsaw, Poland.

 

Stuttering is a developmental speech fluency disorder linked to timing deficits in speech motor control. Given the shared neural mechanisms between rhythmic timing and speech production, rhythm-based interventions may hold promise for stuttering. This proof-of-concept study evaluated the feasibility and potential benefits of a gamified rhythmic training program, Rhythm Workers (RW), in preadolescents who stutter. Twenty-one children (aged 9-12) were randomly assigned to RW or an active control game, which they played at home for 3 weeks. We assessed feasibility and potential training effects on rhythmic, cognitive, and speech-related abilities. Both games were well accepted, and compliance was moderate to high. Only participants trained on the rhythm game showed moderate enhancements in rhythmic synchronization, interference control, oromotor performance, and reduction of stuttering after training. The improvements (except for interference control) correlated with the training dose. Moreover, speech fluency gains were associated with improved rhythmic performance. While some effects did not reach statistical significance due to the limited sample size, the observed dose-response patterns and domain-specific improvements support the feasibility and promise of rhythmic gaming for young people who stutter. This study provides preliminary evidence that rhythm-based training can enhance speech and cognitive outcomes in preadolescents who stutter.

PMID: 41528059 PMCID: PMC12970955 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.70188

 

 

 

A qualitative study of the developmental process of professional identity of nurses who stutter-Narratives of a nurse at career maturity: An analysis using the trajectory equifinality approach - SOCIAL

Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2026 Jan;23(1):e70041. doi: 10.1111/jjns.70041.

 

Akiko Yano ET AL

Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Oita, Japan; Teikyo University, Fukuoka, Japan; Shonan University of Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.

 

Objectives: The lived experiences and challenges faced by nurses who stutter (NWS) have largely remained unvoiced and overlooked. This study aimed to describe the developmental process of professional identity among these nurses while also identifying pivotal experiences and significant others that could be relevant to other NWS.

Methods: The Trajectory Equifinality Approach, a qualitative research method, was employed. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with a nurse possessing 14 years of clinical experience. A Trajectory Equifinality Modeling diagram was developed to visually represent the participant's sequence of lived experiences, emotional responses, and key interactions with significant others.

Results: The following three initiatives were identified as crucial for NWS to develop their professional identity: (1) Aspiring to become a nurse and addressing their stuttering directly, (2) Identifying personal strengths and pursuing career advancement with ambition, and (3) Releasing oneself from the captivity of stuttering and building a fulfilling career. Notably, during their early career stages, nursing faculty, senior nurses and nurse managers were identified as significant others supporting NWS, and their roles were elucidated.

Conclusion: It is suggested that this process leads to the integration of their experiences as both nurses and individuals who stutter, ultimately resulting in a more fulfilling and enriched nursing practice.

PMID: 41545300 DOI: 10.1111/jjns.70041

 

 

 

A Systematic Review on Patient and Public Involvement in Research on Childhood Communication Difficulties - INFANTIL / CONCEITO

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jul-Aug;61(4):e70281

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13309805/pdf/JLCD-61-0.pdf

 

Zhixing Yang & Peter Howell et al

University College London, London, UK; Action for Stammering Children, London, UK.

 

Background: The proposal to involve patients and the public (Patient and Public Involvement; PPI) in research is increasingly recognised as important in research concerning speech, language, and hearing and communication difficulties. Whilst there is extensive guidance about PPI involvement by national agencies such as the National Institute of Health Research in the UK, little information is currently available concerning whether these expectations are met in any area of healthcare provision.

Aims: This systematic review aimed to identify, describe and evaluate how PPI has been implemented and reported in research concerning childhood speech, language, hearing and communication difficulties.

Methods: Six electronic databases were systematically searched for eligible studies reporting PPI in these fields. Records were screened against predefined eligibility criteria. Data were extracted on study characteristics, PPI contributors, stages and methods of involvement, reported impacts, and quality of PPI reporting. The methodological and PPI quality were assessed using MMAT and GRIPP2 Short Form, and findings were synthesised narratively.

Results: Twenty-one studies were included. PPI was reported variously across speech, language, hearing and communication topics, the implementations varied considerably. Parents, carers and professionals were more commonly involved than children and young people themselves. Most studies used consultation-based approaches, often during early stages (e.g., study design or material development), while fewer reported involvement in later stages (e.g., dissemination, implementation or evaluation). Reporting was inconsistent, particularly regarding contributor characteristics, accessibility adaptations, decision-making influence, and the impact of PPI.

Conclusions: The systematic review showed that PPI in childhood speech, language, and hearing difficulties has advanced significantly, with the growing interest and number of publications, particularly in the past five years. The review also highlighted challenges such as confusion and heterogeneity of PPI concepts, representativeness issues, tokenistic practices, lack of support given to lay contributors, and limited impact evaluation. Future research should distinguish PPI from research participation, involve children and young people more directly where appropriate, report contributors' roles and influence more transparently, and consider accessibility and communication support throughout the involvement process.

PMID: 42363665 PMCID: PMC13309805 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70281

 

 

 

An investigation of the effectiveness of bihemispheric tDCS on speech fluency in individuals with stuttering - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 9:88:106202. Online ahead of print.

 

Feyzanur Ocak et al

Usküdar University, Istanbul, Turkey; Biruni University, Istanbul, Turkey;  Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes frequent disruptions in speech flow and affects individuals' lives in many aspects. Recent research on the effectiveness of neuromodulation interventions in stuttering suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can potentially reduce stuttering symptoms, although it is not clear what the optimal stimulation parameters are, and which specific outcomes benefit from tDCS. 36 individuals with stuttering (32 males, 4 females) completed a randomized, double-blind, sham controlled study. Nineteen participants received 1 mA stimulation for 20 min daily while temporarily achieving speech fluency with metronome-timed speech, while the remaining seventeen participants received the same fluency intervention coupled with sham stimulation. tDCS was delivered with a bihemispheric montage: anodal left inferior frontal gyrus and cathodal right inferior frontal gyrus. Both groups received the interventions for a period of 5 consecutive days. Fluency was assessed while reading and while speaking at baseline, at the end of the 5-day intervention, on each day of the intervention (before and after stimulation), and 1 week after the end of the intervention. Primary and secondary analyses showed no sustained tDCS advantage over sham for percentage of syllables stuttered (%SS) in reading or speaking, or the SSI-4 and OASES subdomains at the end of treatment or at 1-week follow-up. Exploratory within-day analyses, indicated session-bound tDCS benefits for %SS in both reading and speaking. These findings provide limited evidence that tDCS can enhance fluency in the short term, while also underscoring the need for further research to explore its potential long-term benefits.

PMID: 41687247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106202

 

 

 

 

[Acquired neurogenic stuttering] [Article in German]

Laryngorhinootologie. 2026 Jun;105(6):356-357.

 

Stefanie Brühl et al

Universitätsklinikum, Institut für Klinische Neurowissenschaften und Medizinische Psychologie, Deutschland, Düsseldorf;  Mauritius Therapieklinik, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland, Meerbusch; Logopädie, Deutschland, Greven.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 42248151 DOI: 10.1055/a-2723-3818

 

 

 

Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Demonstrate Increased Disfluency in Spontaneous Speech but Not in Reading - TERAPIA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jan-Feb;61(1):e70184.

 

Marie Van Gaever & Kurt Eggers

Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Thomas More University College, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

Purpose: This study aimed to analyse the frequency and types of disfluencies in spontaneous speech and reading among adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical adults.

Method: The participants were 56 Dutch-speaking adults, 28 with ASD and 28 age- and gender-matched controls. Samples of spontaneous speech and text reading were orthographically transcribed, and the speech disfluencies were identified and classified, using an expanded version of the Illinois Disfluency Classification System. The frequencies of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs), other disfluencies (ODs), word-final disfluencies (WFDs), and total disfluencies (TDs) were calculated.

Results: Adults with ASD exhibited significantly more SLDs and WFDs in spontaneous speech than the control group. While no statistically significant differences were observed between both groups in reading, a trend towards increased WFDs was noted.

Conclusions: Adults with ASD exhibit increased speech disfluencies, more specific SLDs and WFDs, in spontaneous speech, than neurotypical adults, but not during reading. This discrepancy may arise because spontaneous speech requires real-time language formulation and social communication skills, which can differ in ASD, whereas reading offers an external linguistic structure that reduces cognitive and social processing demands. Increased speech disfluencies may impact how speech is perceived in terms of intelligibility and/or social communication dynamics.

PMID: 41457448 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70184

 

 

 

Advances in stuttering research and discourse: A preface to the selected papers from the 2024 World Congress on Stuttering and Cluttering - CONCEITO

Editorial J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106190. Epub 2026 Jan 10.

Free Text: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000920?via%3Dihub

 

Katie L Winters & Dillon G Pruett

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 41539879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106190

 

 

 

Advancing stuttering detection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of artificial intelligence-based models - AVALIAÇÃO

Review J Fluency Disord. 2026 May 21:88:106222. Online ahead of print.

 

Amir Hossein Rasoli Jokar et al

Michigan State University, MI, United States; University of Louisiana, LA, United States.

 

Aims: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly applied to the automatic detection of stuttering, but the literature remains methodologically and conceptually heterogeneous. This review synthesized research on AI-based stuttering detection, examined what these systems are designed to measure, and considered how those targets relate to lived-experience understandings of stuttering.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, 44 studies were included. A narrative synthesis examined study characteristics, datasets, model approaches, task formulations, and evaluation practices. Random-effects meta-analyses pooled reported accuracy (22 studies) and F1 score (13 studies).

Results: The literature showed a clear shift from handcrafted acoustic features and traditional machine learning classifiers toward deep learning, self-supervised speech representations, and end-to-end architectures. Task formulations expanded from binary detection to subtype classification, temporal localization, and severity-related estimation, but most systems operationalized stuttering through overt, listener-detectable speech behaviors rather than broader speaker-experienced dimensions of stuttering. Pooled estimates suggested strong reported performance under study-specific conditions (accuracy = 86.9%; F1 = 73.2%), but heterogeneity was very high (I² > 85% for both), indicating substantial variation in datasets, task definitions, and evaluation approaches.

Conclusions: Current AI systems primarily measure overt, operationally defined speech behaviors and therefore do not fully capture stuttering as lived and experienced by speakers, including dimensions such as anticipation, effort, and loss of control. Future progress requires speaker-informed target definitions, more transparent reference standards, and multimodal, externally validated models that better align AI outputs with experientially meaningful constructs.

PMID: 42190310 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106222

 

 

 

Amelioration of acquired stuttering following thalamic deep brain stimulation - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

Case Reports J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106174. Epub 2025 Nov 19.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000762?via%3Dihub

 

Phoebe Matthews et al

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand; Neurological Institute of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand; Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar; Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

 

Purpose: Stuttering is a speech disorder that can have debilitating effects on quality of life. We present a case report of a patient with near complete resolution of acquired stuttering following thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor. A literature review of neuromodulation for both developmental and acquired stuttering is presented with proposed insights into the pathophysiology of acquired stuttering.

Method: A case report of a patient with acquired stuttering receiving thalamic DBS for essential tremor is presented. Clinical data on their stuttering severity and its impact on quality of life was prospectively collected before and six months after thalamic DBS for their essential tremor. Additional data on tremor severity, mood, cognition and overall quality of life are presented.

Results: At six months follow-up, there were significant improvements in the patient's tremor and overall quality of life (as expected). There was also near complete resolution of their acquired stuttering and a resultant improvement in voice-related quality of life.

Conclusion: This case report details a patient with near complete resolution of acquired stuttering following thalamic deep brain stimulation for essential tremor. The Vim nucleus of the thalamus may play an important role in the pathophysiology of acquired stuttering. Additional studies will be needed to confirm the usefulness of thalamic DBS in acquired stuttering.

PMID: 41308273 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106174

 

 

 

Analyzing the Attitudes of Teachers in Spain Toward Stuttering - SOCIAL

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 May-Jun;61(3):e70223.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13022064/pdf/JLCD-61-0.pdf

 

Marta Modrego-Alarcón & Kenneth O St Louis et al

Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España; West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.

 

Introduction: Teachers play a crucial role in fostering supportive environments for all students. However, research indicates that their knowledge and attitudes toward stuttering are often similar to those of the general population. The primary aim of this study is to examine the attitudes of teachers at different educational levels in Spain toward stuttering and to explore how these attitudes relate to specific sociodemographic variables.

Method: A cross-sectional, self-report design was employed with a sample of 250 teachers from various educational levels and teaching roles across Spain. Participants completed the Public Opinion Survey on Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S).

Results: Overall, the attitudes of teachers in Spain toward stuttering were generally positive and exceeded those observed in other comparison groups, except for the Knowledge Source component. Positive attitudes toward stuttering were strongly associated with factors reflecting experience and knowledge, such as training in stuttering, teaching students who stutter, current teaching role, and self-identification as a person who stutters.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of providing teachers with targeted training and direct experience with students who stutter to foster supportive attitudes.

PMID: 41888629 PMCID: PMC13022064 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70223

 

 

 

Anxiety and neurophysiological correlates of stuttering severity in adults who stutter - CONCEITO

BMC Psychol. 2026 May 23. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40359-026-04837-3

 

Agit Şimşek

İnönü University, Malatya, Türkiye.

 

Background: Stuttering has traditionally been conceptualized as a motor speech disorder; however, accumulating evidence suggests that auditory processing differences and emotional factors may also contribute to its clinical presentation. Despite increasing interest in these domains, the interplay between auditory cortical processing, stuttering severity, and anxiety in adults remains incompletely understood.

Objective: This study aimed to examine auditory evoked cortical responses (P1, N1, P2, and mismatch negativity [MMN]) in adults who stutter compared with fluent-speaking controls, and to explore how neurophysiological measures vary in relation to stuttering severity and state-trait anxiety levels.

Methods: Auditory event-related potentials were recorded using pure-tone stimuli in adults who stutter and age-matched control participants. Latency and amplitude measures of the P1, N1, P2, and MMN components were analyzed. Anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Group comparisons and correlational analyses were performed to characterize neurophysiological, clinical, and psychological patterns.

Results: Compared with controls, adults who stutter exhibited significant alterations in both early (P1, N1) and later (P2, MMN) stages of auditory cortical processing. Increasing stuttering severity appeared to be associated with a pattern of variation in ERP latencies and amplitudes, accompanied by parallel changes in state, trait, and total anxiety scores.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that stuttering in adulthood is associated with widespread differences in auditory cortical processing that co-vary with both anxiety levels and clinical severity. The results support a multidimensional framework in which sensory, emotional, and speech-related processes interact, highlighting the importance of integrated neurophysiological and psychological assessment approaches in stuttering research and clinical practice.

PMID: 42177585 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-04837-3

 

 

 

Associations between self-rated stuttering severity and multidimensional stuttering impact - CONCEITO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jul 17:89:106237. Online ahead of print.

 

Ran An & J Scott Yaruss et al

Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS, United States, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States; Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States; Fort Wayne Community Schools, Fort Wayne, IN, United States.

 

Purpose: Prior research examining stuttering severity and the impact of stuttering has revealed inconsistent findings, partly due to differences in how severity is defined and measured. This study examined bivariate and covariate-adjusted associations between a global self-rated severity (SRS) measure and multidimensional stuttering impact measured by the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES) among Chinese adults who stutter.

Method: Data were collected via an anonymous online survey from 346 adults who stutter in China. Participants completed the Simplified Chinese OASES-Adults (OASES-A-SC) and a single-item 7-point SRS. Pearson correlations were used to test bivariate associations; multiple linear regression models examined whether SRS was associated with OASES outcomes after controlling for age, gender, speech therapy history, and support-group participation.

Results: SRS was positively associated with the OASES Overall Impact Score and all four section scores (rs =.49-.67), with the strongest associations for the Overall Impact Score and Section III (Communication in Daily Situations). In adjusted models, SRS remained significantly associated with all OASES outcomes. Support-group participation was also associated with lower impact scores for most outcomes.

Conclusion: SRS was moderately to strongly associated with multidimensional stuttering impact, indicating that the two measures are related but should not be treated as interchangeable. Brief SRS measures may capture clinically meaningful aspects of lived experience and serve as a practical, speaker-centered complement to the OASES, especially in large-scale surveys and cross-cultural settings where clinician-administered severity assessment and calibrated listener-based estimates are less feasible.

PMID: 42480278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106237

 

 

 

Attention, Executive Functions, and Speech Disfluencies in Stuttering and Nonstuttering Individuals: A Scoping Review - ATENÇÃO

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Mar 12;69(3):961-980. Epub 2026 Feb 3.

 

Gizem Aslan, Delphine Vanden Berghe, Kurt Eggers

Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology, Thomas More, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

Purpose: Attention and executive functions (EFs) have been hypothesized to play a regulatory role in speech planning and production, thereby influencing the occurrence of speech disfluencies. This scoping review examined evidence on the relationship between attention, EFs, and speech disfluencies in persons who stutter (PWS), persons who do not stutter (PWNS), and PWNS with other conditions (PWNS + C), where attention or EFs are impacted.

Method: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, searches were conducted in Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus using inclusive terms for attention, EFs, and speech disfluencies. Data extracted included study and participant characteristics, speech sample types, disfluency types, cognitive components assessed, instruments used, and findings on cognitive-disfluency associations. Out of 4,233 records screened, 51 studies were included.

Results: Inhibitory control and working memory consistently emerged as key cognitive components linked to disfluency frequency, while cognitive flexibility and specific attention subdomains remain underexplored. In PWS, dual-task paradigms revealed paradoxical fluency improvements under increased cognitive load, suggesting dysregulated monitoring mechanisms. PWNS showed increased disfluencies primarily under high cognitive demands. PWNS + C exhibited broader regulatory deficits affecting fluency, highlighting reliance on domain-general cognitive control systems.

Conclusions: Findings from this review underscore the role of attention and EFs, particularly inhibitory control and working memory, in speech fluency across populations. Dual-task paradigms highlight that cognitive load does not consistently disrupt fluency but interacts with individual cognitive profiles and task demands. Future research could benefit from adopting multimodal, ecologically valid methods to explain how attention and EFs contribute to fluent speech.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31079509.

PMID: 41632037 DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00224

 

 

 

Attention Networks and Speech Disfluencies Among Monolingual Dutch and Bilingual Dutch-Turkish Speaking Children: A Pilot Study - ATENÇÃO

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Mar 13:1-37. Online ahead of print.

 

Gizem Aslan, Kurt Eggers

 

Introduction: This pilot study investigated whether attention skills influence speech disfluencies in school-aged children, comparing monolingual Dutch (MONO) speakers and bilingual Dutch-Turkish speakers (BIL). Disfluencies frequently arise from heightened cognitive load and the planning demands of speech production. Given that bilingualism may impose additional attentional demands, we examined whether attention skills predict disfluency patterns across BIL's languages and how language dominance affects these patterns in bilinguals.

Methods: 34 typically developing children (17 MONO and 17 BIL) participated. Speech samples were elicited through narrative retelling and spontaneous conversation in Dutch and, for bilinguals, also in Turkish. Disfluencies were coded using the Illinois Disfluency Classification System, distinguishing between stuttering-like (SLD) or other disfluencies (OD). Attention was assessed via the Attention Network Test, measuring alerting, orienting, and executive control. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated associations between attention networks and disfluency rates across groups and languages.

Results: Speech elicitation task type significantly influenced disfluency patterns. Retelling a story elicited more SLD, while spontaneous speech elicited more OD. Within BIL, language dominance did not significantly affect disfluency rates. Attention networks did not significantly predict the production of SLD and OD in Dutch in either language group. However, better alerting and executive control scores were associated with fewer OD in the BIL's (non)dominant language.

Conclusion: The results suggest that attention may not be a primary factor that determines disfluency patterns, pointing to a more complex interaction between cognitive and linguistic factors. Future research should include larger, more diverse samples and additional cognitive measures to clarify these relationships.

PMID: 41824638 DOI: 10.1159/000551501

 

 

 

Attitudes of Multilingual Individuals Toward Stuttering and Cluttering: Evidence from University Foreign Language Majors - SOCIAL

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Mar 31:1-22. Online ahead of print.

 

Ran An, Judith D Oxley, Kenneth O St Louis

 

Background: This study assessed multilingual individuals' attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering, using Chinese university foreign language majors as a sample. It employed the standardized Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Cluttering (POSHA-Cl). It further examined whether multilingual background and survey format influenced participants' attitudes.

Methods: A total of 222 foreign language majors from three northeastern Chinese universities participated. Each university's cohort was randomly assigned to complete either the POSHA-S, POSHA-Cl, or a combined version of the instrument. The questionnaires, validated in Simplified Chinese, assessed participants' attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering by measuring domains such as beliefs and self reactions. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and group comparisons, referencing published data from other Chinese student groups and international databases.

Results: Conclusion: Multilingual education alone did not foster greater acceptance of communicative diversity; broader cultural and educational factors, such as societal emphasis on standard language and limited exposure to neurodiversity, were more influential. The findings highlight the need for targeted education and greater inclusion of neurodiversity concepts in higher education to reduce stigma and promote acceptance.

PMID: 41915608 DOI: 10.1159/000551807

 

 

 

Bilateral GPi Deep Brain Stimulation for Severe Speech-Induced Dystonic Dysfluency: A Phenotype at the Stuttering-Dystonia Interface

Case Reports Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2026 Apr 16. Online ahead of print.

 

Shivam Om Mittal et al

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 41992661 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.70648

 

 

 

Brain stimulation in stuttering: Participant experiences with transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106187. Epub 2025 Dec 7.

 

Feyzanur Ocak  & Özlem Oğuz

Üsküdar University, Istanbul, Turkey.

 

There is growing interest in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in stuttering therapy. However, limited information is available on how such innovative interventions are perceived by target participants. The aim of this study was to qualitatively examine the acceptability and social validity of tDCS in individuals with developmental stuttering in the context of participants' experiences and perceptions of the intervention process and changes in their social lives. The study was based on semi-structured interviews with 10 adults with developmental stuttering who had previously participated in the active tDCS stimulation group. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five main themes were identified: (1) reasons for participation; (2) perception of the intervention and emotional responses; (3) experiences related to the intervention process; (4) perceived effects of tDCS and (5) recommendations for the future. Participants reported temporary fluency improvements and increased self-confidence, emphasizing that the intervention was generally manageable and acceptable. These subjective evaluations offer insight into how tDCS was experienced without implying clinical efficacy. Results should be interpreted with caution, as interviews were conducted without blinding and responses may have been influenced by social desirability or complicity bias. Importantly, despite prior quantitative measurements from the same intervention showing no significant objective improvements in speech fluency, participants still described positive subjective experiences. This contrast between quantitative outcomes and experiential reports highlights the importance of incorporating individuals' perceptions into evaluations of novel therapeutic approaches. Particip

PMID: 41380503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106187

 

 

 

Can Stuttering on Content Versus Function Words Predict Stuttering Persistence in Young Children? - LINGUAGEM

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jun 2:1-17. Online ahead of print.

 

Carly Rosvold & Nan Bernstein Ratner

University of Maryland, College Park.

 

Purpose: The widely cited shift from function to content word stuttering is based largely on cross-sectional studies using broad binary word-class distinctions, which may obscure group differences. This study tested whether the distribution of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) by finer grained part-of-speech-defined grammatical categories and utterance position distinguishes children who persist in stuttering (CWSP) from those who recover (CWSR) and whether alternative measurement definitions offer insight beyond the traditional function/content dichotomy.

Method: Spontaneous language samples were drawn from 57 children (12 CWSP, 45 CWSR) in the Illinois International Stuttering Research Project at three time points across 3 years postonset. SLDs were identified and analyzed by binary lexical class (content vs. function), part-of-speech-defined grammatical categories, and utterance position (initial, medial, final) using Computerized Language Analysis tools. Statistical analyses included repeated-measures analysis of variance, mixed-effects modeling, and Firth logistic regression.

Results: Children stuttered more frequently on function words than content words across groups and time points. The combined influence of grammatical class and utterance position yielded the clearest differentiation between groups. Utterance-final disfluencies were more strongly associated with persistent stuttering, whereas variation in metric definition (tendency vs. occurrence) reflected different analytic perspectives without altering the overall pattern of results or differentiating recovery outcomes.

Conclusions: While the content/function distinction captures general stuttering patterns in early childhood, it does not differentiate recovery status. Analyses incorporating utterance position and explicit measurement definitions reveal that fluency breakdowns are best understood as emerging from structural and positional pressures within the utterance rather than from categorical word-type effects. These findings highlight the value of moving beyond coarse word-class divisions to better characterize variability in early stuttering and to support more precise, linguistically informed models of fluency development.

PMID: 42229408 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00530

 

 

 

CARE Model Assessment for school-age children who stutter: An overview and preliminary findings - AVALIAÇÃO

Front Psychol. 2026 Jun 5:17:1736190.

Free Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13281213/pdf/fpsyg-17-1736190.pdf

 

Courtney T Byrd &, Geoffrey A Coalson & Edward G Conture

The University of Texas at Austin, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Austin, TX, United States.

 

This article details the community-based participatory research development of the CARE Model Assessment instrument, which measures the Blank Center CARE Model's four primary components: Communication, Advocacy, Resiliency, and Education (CARE). The CARE Assessment instrument is not designed to diagnose stuttering; rather, it assumes an a priori diagnosis and provides a strengths-based evaluation of the four CARE Model components. It is intended for use in individuals diagnosed with stuttering who may receive stuttering-affirming treatment. The CARE Assessment instrument provides an evaluation framework clinicians can use to inform and construct a strengths-based treatment plan. To develop this instrument, the authors conducted two related studies. Study 1 established and refined the initial Assessment tool, resulting in the Revised CARE Assessment instrument (the current version). Subsequently, Study 2 objectively examined the psychometric properties of this revised instrument using a sample of school-age children (N = 107; 8-17 years of age) and their caregivers (N = 107). This study examined participants' responses to establish test-retest reliability, divergent validity, and redundancy across the model's four components. Together, the findings of Studies 1 and 2 provide empirical evidence that the CARE Assessment instrument yields meaningful qualitative and quantitative insights into communication, advocacy, resilience, and knowledge relative to stuttering from the responses of school-age children, their caregivers, and clinicians.

PMID: 42325357 PMCID: PMC13281213

 

 

 

Characteristics of interoceptive heartbeat accuracy, sensibility, and awareness in adults who stutter - AVALIAÇÃO

Acta Psychol (Amst). 2026 Mar 23:265:106705. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691826005068?via%3Dihub

 

Daichi Iimura  & Ishida Osamu

University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.

 

Evidence suggests an association between interoceptive processing, which originates from feelings in the body, and mental health-related status, such as anxiety. We assessed heartbeat interoceptive accuracy, interoceptive sensibility, and awareness among 26 adults who stutter (AWS) and 26 those who do not stutter (AWNS) as controls. Heartbeat perception accuracy was measured via a heartbeat-tracking task in which participants counted their heartbeats in six trials of varying durations. Interoceptive sensibility was assessed via interoception questionnaires, which included the Body Perception Questionnaire and Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness. The area under the curve (AUC) in the heartbeat-discrimination task, in which participants judged the synchronization of their heartbeat and 10 tones with synchronized/not synchronized timing, was used to calculate interoceptive awareness. Interoceptive trait prediction error (ITPE) was also calculated via the Z-score differences between behavioral accuracy and self-reported sensibility. Our findings revealed significant differences in the interoception questionnaire scores (p = .013), which indicated a unique interoceptive pattern in AWS. Although no significant differences were observed in heartbeat-tracking performance (p = .188) and AUC (p = .131), a significant difference was observed in ITPE (p = .013), which suggested that AWS exhibited superior heartbeat perception accuracy compared with AWNS. Our study, the first to investigate multidimensional interoception in AWS, revealed distinct interoceptive patterns. These patterns were not explained by participants' age, co-occurring disorders scores, or stuttering severity, which indicated the need for further research to understand the relevance of interoception in stuttering mechanisms, anticipation, and treatment.

PMID: 41875640 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106705

 

 

 

Clarifying Neuroplasticity Claims in Parent-Led Early Stuttering Intervention: A Response toOnslow et al. (2026) - INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jul 10:1-3Online ahead of print.

 

Soo-Eun Chang

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.

 

Purpose: Onslow et al. propose a simplified, parent-led early intervention for childhood stuttering based on reductions in parental speech rate and increased interturn pausing, framed within a neuroplasticity rationale for early treatment. While the goal of developing scalable and accessible interventions is important, the conceptual link between these conversational modifications and neuroplastic recovery warrants clarification. Neuroimaging studies in childhood stuttering have identified neural differences associated with persistence and recovery, but these findings establish correlates of developmental change rather than evidence that specific parental behaviors causally induce circuit-level reorganization. Established principles of experience-dependent plasticity indicate that durable neural change in speech motor systems typically requires high repetition, task specificity, and performance-contingent engagement of relevant neural networks.

Conclusion: Current evidence is lacking regarding the potential behavioral benefits of parent-mediated conversational modifications, and further research is required to demonstrate that such strategies can induce neuroplastic mechanisms underlying recovery from stuttering. Distinguishing between environmental modulation, short-term fluency facilitation, and neural causation is important to support mechanistic claims. I suggest that future research evaluate simplified parent-led interventions through adequately powered randomized trials and, where possible, incorporate longitudinal neural measures to determine whether behavioral improvements are associated with measurable changes in speech motor circuitry.

PMID: 42429771 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-26-00106

 

 

 

Communication Self-Efficacy for People With Parkinson's Disease - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr;61(2):e70217.

 

Alissa N Smith et al

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

 

Background: Self-efficacy for communication, defined as confidence in one's ability to communicate, is a construct grounded in social cognitive theory and has demonstrated relevance in research on communication disability. Its role in the communicative participation of people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) has not been explored.

Aims: To explore if self-efficacy for communication for PwPD differs across communicative activities, changes over time and following speech therapy, and is associated with communicative participation.

Methods and procedures: Self-reported data for self-efficacy for communication and communicative participation were collected from 40 community-dwelling PwPD (half who received new speech therapy and half who did not) two times, 6 months apart.

Outcomes and results: Participants demonstrated higher communication self-efficacy with friends and when ordering food or drinks, and lower confidence when talking in a large group or giving a speech at an informal group. Self-efficacy for communication did not differ between groups who did and did not receive speech therapy, nor did it change after speech therapy; but it significantly declined for participants who did not receive therapy during the study. Self-efficacy for communication was significantly associated with communicative participation.

Conclusion: Self-efficacy for communication varies across some situations but not others. PwPD may be vulnerable to declining self-efficacy in the absence of communication intervention or support.

PMID: 41784568 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70217

 

 

 

Comparing Semantic and Phonemic Fluency Performance in Adults Who Do and Do Not Stutter - LINGUAGEM

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Feb 25:1-14. Online ahead of print.

 

Zoi Gkalitsiou & Danielle Werle

California State University, East Bay, Hayward; The University of Texas at Austin.

 

Purpose: This study investigated lexical access and executive control in adults who do (AWS) and do not stutter (AWNS) via phonemic and semantic fluency tasks. Analysis of the participants' accurate responses, as well as clustering (i.e., organization of responses into subgroups) and switching (i.e., shifting between subgroups), provided insight into which processes (e.g., word storage, strategic search) are particularly challenging for AWS and contribute to their diminished lexical access abilities.

Method: Thirty-two AWS and 32 well-matched AWNS generated as many words as possible in 60 s, which began with a specific letter of the alphabet (i.e., F, A, and S) or belonged to a specific semantic category (e.g., animals, supermarket).

Results: Mixed-effects model analyses revealed that AWS produced significantly fewer accurate responses than AWNS did in phonemic fluency but not in semantic. No differences in clustering were found between the two groups. Lastly, AWS had significantly fewer switches than AWNS did.

Conclusions: Poorer performance in phonemic fluency and fewer switches suggest weaker lexical access for phonological information and executive control abilities in AWS compared to AWNS. The lack of between-group differences in semantic fluency and clustering suggests that word storage and organization of long-term memory seem intact in AWS.

PMID: 41738925 DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00437

 

 

 

Comparison of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in Adults with and without Stuttering: Exploring the Relationship between FoMO and Psychological Resilience - EMOCIONAL

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2025 Nov 27.

 

Vildan Şen & Nurcan Alpüran Kocabıyık

Harmoni Speech, Language and Development Center, Istanbul, Turkey; University of Istanbul Kent, Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) refers to the anxiety of missing potential experiences or opportunities. This study examined FoMO levels between people who stutter (PWS) and people who do not stutter (PWNS), explored the relationship between FoMO and psychological resilience in PWS and PWNS, and assessed the influence of age and gender on FoMO. The sample of this study consisted of 145 adults, including 65 PWS, 80 PWNS. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Fear of Missing Out Scale for University Students, and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS 26.0 with a multivariate Generalized Linear Model (GLM) and correlation analyses. PWS scored significantly higher in the social dimension of FoMO, suggesting that PWS may experience greater anxiety about missing out in social contexts compared to PWNS. No significant differences were found between PWS and PWNS in terms of their total or private FoMO scores. Age and gender did not significantly affect FoMO scores. In contrast, PWS exhibited significantly lower psychological resilience compared to PWNS. While age had no significant impact on resilience, gender showed a significant effect on resilience in both groups. Men had significantly higher levels of psychological resilience than women. Additionally, a negative correlation was observed between FoMO and psychological resilience in both groups, suggesting that higher FoMO is associated with lower resilience. These results underscore the importance of addressing social challenges faced by PWS and enhancing psychological resilience through targeted psychosocial interventions. Promoting inclusive social participation may help mitigate FoMO-related anxiety and improve overall well-being in PWS.

PMID: 41330114 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106185

 

 

 

Concurrent cognitive load and lexical-semantic similarity judgments for action verbs and object nouns in Persian-speaking adults who stutter - LINGUAGEM

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106176. Epub 2025 Nov 19.

 

Tabassom Azimi et al

Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol Iran; University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran; University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.

 

Purpose: This study examined whether lexical-semantic processing of action verbs versus object nouns is differentially affected by concurrent cognitive load in Persian-speaking adults who stutter (AWS), compared with adults who do not stutter (AWNS), using a dual-task paradigm.

Methods: Twenty-nine AWS and 29 matched AWNS performed a Semantic Similarity Judgment Task (SSJT) while simultaneously completing a tone-decision task. Tones were presented at short or long stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) relative to SSJT onset. SSJT stimuli included action verbs and non-action nouns. Reaction times (RTs) and accuracy were recorded.

Results: AWS exhibited slower overall RTs than AWNS (p = .04). A significant Group × Task interaction (p = .03) and Group × Task × SOA interaction (p = .04) revealed greater dual-task costs for AWS on the tone task, particularly under high cognitive load. Moreover, a significant group difference in SSJT RTs was observed (p = .03), especially for action verbs at short SOA (p = .04).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that AWS are more susceptible to interference from concurrent cognitive demands and may require greater attentional resources for processing action verbs. This highlights the role of cognitive-linguistic interactions in stuttering and the potential influence of cognitive load on speech fluency.

PMID: 41274231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106176

 

 

 

 

Contemporary clinical conversations about stuttering: What does childhood bilingualism mean to clinicians?

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Jun 16:1-12. Online ahead of print.

 

David Kinnane & Mark Onslow et al

 

No abstract available
PMID: 42301975 DOI: 10.1159/000552154

 

 

 

Contemporary clinical conversations about stuttering: What does genetics research mean to clinicians?

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Jun 9:1-9. Online ahead of print.

 

Georgina Johnson & Mark Onslow et al

 

No abstract available

PMID: 42263032 DOI: 10.1159/000552868

 

 

 

Content validity of AI-generated stuttering assessment and intervention programs based on expert review: A comparative analysis across age groups and language versions - AVALIAÇÃO

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2025 Dec 3.

 

Ayşe Nur Koçak & Melis Buse Arslan

Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey; İstanbul Atlas University, Anadolu University, İstanbul, Turkey.

 

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the content validity and inter-rater reliability of stuttering assessment and intervention programs generated by artificial intelligence (GPT-4) in both Turkish and English for preschool, school-age, and adult populations. It also examined whether linguistic or cultural differences affected expert evaluations.

Methods: Twelve AI-generated programs (six in Turkish, six in English) were reviewed by twelve certified speech-language pathologists specializing in fluency disorders. Each item was rated using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's Alpha, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess consistency and reliability.

Results: The majority of items were rated as appropriate or highly appropriate (M = 4.6-4.9). The overall reliability among raters was poor (ICC = 0.45), while single-rater reliability was higher (ICC = 0.65). Only a small number of items were flagged for revision, typically involving emotional or contextual components. Experts noted that English versions tended to be more detailed and literature-consistent, whereas certain Turkish terms required clearer cultural adaptation.

Conclusion: GPT-4 can produce clinically relevant and linguistically accurate stuttering materials when paired with expert review. However, human validation remains essential to refine affective and culture-specific elements. These findings support the integration of AI-assisted tools in multilingual clinical content development.

PMID: 41353877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106186

 

 

 

Development and Content Validation of Stuttering Screening Tool for Preschool Children - AVALIAÇÃO

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 May 25:1-18. Online ahead of print.

 

Jasper Priences Vedanayagam & Santosh Maruthy

 

Introduction Early identification of stuttering is crucial to minimising its impact. Therefore, accessible screening tools for parents and preschool teachers are needed. However, there is a lack of such test materials for identifying stuttering in preschool children. Hence, the current study aimed to develop and validate a stuttering screening tool for parents and teachers of preschool children who stutter.

Methods A thorough literature review and a focused group discussion led to the initial development of the tool in English. Six judges validated the content at the item level. As we aimed to develop a screening tool primarily for parents and preschool teachers in South India, the tool was translated into Kannada and Tamil (two major South Indian languages) using an opaque semantic translation method. Eleven judges participated in the second content validation process, which included item-level analysis and discussions. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted based on judges' feedback. The final version underwent pilot testing with parents of children who do and do not stutter.

Results The first version showed adequate item-level validity, with an internal consistency of 0.78. The translated tool achieved excellent validity and universal agreement from 11 judges, with an internal consistency of 0.91. Qualitative analysis led to necessary modifications. Further, pilot testing confirmed good understandability and applicability by parents of children who do and do not stutter.

Conclusion The stuttering screening tool demonstrated strong validity and consistency in Kannada and Tamil languages. It can serve as a reliable screening tool for early identification of stuttering by parents and teachers. In the next phase, we will assess its sensitivity and specificity.

PMID: 42184223 DOI: 10.1159/000552646

 

 

 

Development of a stand-alone eHealth treatment: iCamperdown

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106189. Epub 2025 Dec 16.
Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000919?via%3Dihub

 

Constance Alateras et al
University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Private Practice (Brenda Carey Speech Pathology), Australia.

 

Purpose: eHealth treatments have been developed for a range of conditions. They provide an accessible, cost-effective, and convenient model for clients and families to access treatment. The aim of this paper is to provide details and results of user testing of an eHealth speech treatment for adults who stutter: iCamperdown.

Method: An iterative user-testing process was conducted using a think-aloud method and structured questionnaires. End users were adults who stutter and speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Results: Based on user feedback, the program underwent several modifications. Changes made to the program included functional enhancements. These include automatic activation of audio instructions on each page to improve navigation, aesthetic modifications to improve acceptability such as rearranging of information, changes to instructions provided to users to improve clarity, and enhancing the quality of audio recordings to increase efficiency.

Conclusion: The iCamperdown program is now ready to be evaluated with a Phase I clinical trial, focussing on evaluating safety, compliance, and preliminary outcomes. Further clinical trialing could investigate baseline predictors and treatment moderators to identify which individuals are most likely to benefit from the program. iCamperdown has advantages and disadvantages, which we explore. We explore the prospect of automating iCamperdown with advanced machine learning techniques. Potentially, the iCamperdown Program for stuttering reduction, with translation into other world languages besides English, could be a transformative change to SLP practices internationally.

PMID: 41418562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106189

 

 

 

Developmental stuttering with common and complex phenotypes - CONCEITO

Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026 Feb 23. Online ahead of print.

 

Sarah E Horton et al

Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

 

Aim: To describe the phenotypic spectrum associated with stuttering.

Method: Individuals with current or resolved developmental stuttering self-referred. Surveys assessed stuttering characteristics (onset, negative impact, family history) and health (early development, other conditions). Speech and non-verbal intelligence were assessed using conversation and the Wechsler standardized scales. Sample sizes varied across assessments (n = 266-327). Latent class analysis identified unobserved groups based on assessment data.

Results: A total of 327 participants (231 male, 71%) with a median age of 57 years (range: 5-90 years) were recruited, 282 of 296 (95%) with current stuttering and 14 of 296 (5%) with resolved stuttering. Onset was 4 years or younger for 187 of 322 (58%) participants; 207 of 325 (64%) had a positive family history of stuttering, 58 of 325 (18%) had developmental delay, and 38 of 264 (14%) had below average non-verbal intelligence. Common co-occurring conditions included sleep, hearing, vision, and immune conditions, migraine, anxiety, and depression. Analysis revealed two groups: 295 of 327 (90%) participants had the common phenotype and 32 of 327 (10%) had a complex phenotype, with more severe stuttering, greater negative impact of stuttering, more frequent anxiety, lower non-verbal intelligence, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Interpretation: Phenotypic analysis of a large cohort of who stutter identified 90% with a common phenotype and 10% with a complex phenotype. Both had co-occurring disorders requiring multidisciplinary support.

PMID: 41725598 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.70208

 

 

 

Developmental stuttering with common and complex phenotypes - CONCEITO 

Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026 Apr 3. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.70274. Online ahead of print.

Free Text: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/dmcn.70274

 

No authors listed

 

No abstract available

PMID: 41931395 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.70274

 

 

 

Differences in Motor and Perceptual Sequence Learning Between People Who Stutter and People Who Do Not Stutter - PSICOMOTOR

Psych J. 2026 Jun;15(3):e70101.

Free Text: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pchj.70101

 

Qianying Ma et al

Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, China; Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Center for Neuroscience, Brussels, Belgium; University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

 

Previous studies have indicated impaired motor sequence learning in people who stutter (PWS). The present study demonstrates that PWS retain intact sequence learning abilities when motor demands are minimized.

PMID: 42117899 PMCID: PMC13163143 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.70101

 

 

 

Differential impacts of stuttering and stressful life events on the well-being of children: A comparative analysis - AMBIENTE

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

 

Molly M Jacobs et al

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to expand upon contributors to negatively impacted well-being among children who stutter (CWS) by examining the outcomes of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and determining the influence of stuttering and stressful life events in children on negatively impacted well-being.

Method: Data from 6122 children aged 3-17 years in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) included parent-reported stuttering in the past 12 months, prior experiences of eight stressful life events (SLEs), and a 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine if well-being was mediated by SLEs among CWS testing the hypothesis that SLEs exacerbate the negative influence of stuttering on well-being.

Results: Average SDQ total scores were higher for CWS compared to children who do not stutter (CWNS). CWS also had higher average SDQ subscale scores as well. After controlling for baseline differences, CWS had significantly higher SDQ total and subscale scores. With each additional SLE, the SDQ total and subscale scores increased as well, but interaction terms showed that the impact of SLEs did not differ between CWS and CWNS. Mediation analysis supported these findings indicating that less than 10 % of the direct effect of stuttering on well-being was mediated by SLEs.

Conclusions: Using the SDQ as a measure of well-being, this study showed that CWS experienced significantly more difficulties relative to CWNS and that these differences were not mediated by SLEs.

PMID: 41547044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106196

 

 

 

Each Child Matters: Contributing Factors to Speech-Language Pathologists' Perceptions of Stuttering Therapy - TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Apr 15:1-15. Online ahead of print.

 

Megan Arney et al

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Michigan State University, East Lansing.

 

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) often report feeling less confident treating children who stutter. Yet, prior research has focused on SLPs' perceptions of groups, rather than an individual child who stutters. The aim of this study was to assess SLPs' perceptions of the therapy they provide to an individual child who stutters and to identify key factors underlying these perceptions.

Method: A total of 115 SLPs rated their general experience, knowledge, and confidence related to stuttering treatment and rated how well they perceived therapy to be going for an individual child who stutters. SLPs substantiated their perceptions of therapy through an open-ended prompt. Ordinal logistic regression models incorporated SLPs' self-ratings as predictors of their ratings of an individual child's therapy. Open-ended responses were analyzed thematically to identify novel factors underlying SLP opinions of a child's therapy.

Results: Most SLPs reported therapy to be going well or very well for an individual child. Confidence addressing negative thoughts and feelings about stuttering, addressing bullying, and adjusting a stuttering treatment plan predicted more positive perceptions of a child's stuttering therapy. Qualitative findings revealed that SLPs considered the child's relationship with stuttering, their positive attributes and support system, their speech, and therapeutic processes when determining how well therapy was going.

Conclusions: SLPs tended to view stuttering therapy more positively when reflecting on an individual child, compared to prior studies asking them to reflect on stuttering in general or on groups of individuals who stutter. SLPs also framed a child's stuttering therapy holistically, emphasizing not only speech components but also the child's psychosocial experience, relationships, and personal attributes as factors underlying their perceptions of therapy.

PMID: 41983903 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-24-00515

 

 

 

Effect of Prolonged Speech Technique on a Tamil Speaking Adolescent with Stuttering - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Indian J Pediatr. 2026 Mar;93(3):304. Epub 2026 Jan 23.

Free text: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-025-05970-4

 

Vasupradaa Manivannan & R P Srijaa

JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru-04, Karnataka, India.

 

No abstract available
PMID: 41575635 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-025-05970-4

 

 

 

Effectiveness and stability of differential interventions in mitigating negative attitudes of Indian university students toward stuttering - SOCIAL

J Commun Disord. 2026 Apr 2:122:106645. Online ahead of print.

 

Shweta Gupta, Kenneth O St Louis et al

Era University, Lucknow, India; West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.

 

Background: Although many interventions have improved public attitudes toward stuttering, varying percentages of participants either show no effect or demonstrate worse attitudes following intervention. In non-intervention attitude studies using test-retest measures, people with negative attitudes tend to improve, while those with already positive views tend to decline. This has been termed a "crossover" effect that is an extreme example of regression to the mean.

Objectives: Aims of the study were to evaluate both the effectiveness and stability of tailored or differential interventions based on summary scores on an initial Public Opinion of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and also to document the presence and/or extent of the "crossover" effect in pre (1st) versus post (2nd) POSHA-S scores.

Method: 38 University students were assigned as participants. They were further divided by thirds into highest, intermediate, and lowest subgroups based on POSHA-S pre-test scores, as recommended in a recent series of research studies. These subgroups received tailored or differential interventions. Attitudes were measured at pre-test, at post-test, and at one- and two-month follow-ups

Results: The interventions improved attitudes; however, distinctive subgroup effects of interventions tailored to the highest, intermediate, and lowest subgroups could not be ascertained. However, when sorted according to positive, minimal, or negative change from the 1st to 2nd POSHA-S Overall Stuttering Scores, a "crossover" effect emerged wherein low scorers became high scorers, and vice versa. The participants showed significant improvements with marginal stability.

Conclusion: The results of this study support previous research calling for more effective strategies for tailoring interventions designed to mitigate negative public attitudes toward stuttering to different population subgroups.

PMID: 42161107 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106645

 

 

 

Effects of stuttering and sound avoidance on reference production and memory - PROCESSUAL

Appl Psycholinguist. 2026 Feb 12:47:e3. eCollection 2026

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12926730/pdf/S0142716425100428a.pdf.

 

Si On Yoon et al

New York University, New York, NY, USA; University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, USA.

 

Adults who stutter (AWS) frequently engage in language monitoring to anticipate and manage stuttering. This linguistic monitoring may reallocate cognitive resources, with potential consequences for language production and memory. We investigated whether AWS' increased monitoring during production imposes dual-task costs that limit encoding benefits, or whether it enhances memory through deeper conceptual engagement. Thirty-two AWS and sixty-four adults who do not stutter (AWNS) completed a referential communication task in which they described or identified pictures with an experimenter. To simulate AWS' linguistic monitoring, half of the AWNS performed a simultaneous sound avoidance task (AWNS-SA), prohibiting certain word-initial phonemes. After the communication task, participants completed a recognition memory test for past referents. Results showed that AWS performed more similarly to AWNS than to AWNS-SA in both language production and memory, although AWS' memory declined on a trial-by-trial basis when stuttering occurred. These findings suggest that linguistic monitoring in AWS does not impose substantial dual-task costs overall, but that stuttering moments can transiently disrupt memory encoding. Together, these results highlight the adaptive nature of linguistic monitoring in AWS and contribute to a broader understanding of how it supports language production and memory across AWS and AWNS.

PMID: 41737806 PMCID: PMC12926730

 

 

 

Embedding public and patient involvement in childhood stuttering research: lessons learned from engaging children and families in Saudi Arabia – INFANTIL / SOCIAL

Res Involv Engagem. 2026 Feb 12;12(1):23.
Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12903678/pdf/40900_2026_Article_845.pdf

 

Alhanouf Yosef Alhazimi et al

University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

Background: Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) is increasingly recognised as essential for ensuring health research is relevant, inclusive, and responsive to local contexts. However, in many regions of the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, PPI remains underdeveloped. This commentary presents a reflective account of how PPI was embedded throughout a multi-method doctoral study exploring the experiences of Saudi children who stutter (CWS).

Main body: This paper describes how ten Arabic-speaking contributors, including three children (aged 8 to10 years), two parents, two teachers, and three speech and language therapists, participated across six phases of the doctoral research: 1)planning, 2) recruitment, 3) pre-data collection, 4) data collection, 5) dissemination, and 6) early implementation. The contributors helped shape child-friendly, culturally relevant materials and advised on the linguistic accessibility and emotional safety of proposed recruitment and data collection tools and procedures. While CWS were not involved in the PPI group due to recruitment challenges, children with speech-sound disorders contributed insights to inform the design of child-centred tools. Their input influenced recruitment strategies, task sequencing during data collection, and dissemination formats. Key challenges included limited awareness of PPI among contributors, difficulty recruiting children who stutter, and the need to distinguish between research participants and PPI advisors for the contributors. Creative engagement methods, such as role-play and WhatsApp-based consultations, helped support inclusion and build trust.

Conclusion: This commentary presents one of the first documented examples of child-inclusive PPI in the Saudi context, highlighting the value of cross-generational collaboration and culturally responsive methods in enhancing research relevance and accessibility. We advocate for greater awareness, infrastructure, and policy support to embed meaningful PPI across the region, with particular attention to the cultural and linguistic dimensions of PPI.

PMID: 41680957 PMCID: PMC12903678

 

 

 

Emotion regulation, empathy, and theory of mind in children with childhood-onset fluency disorder: a multidimensional social-cognitive perspective - INFANTIL / EMOCIONAL

Child Neuropsychol. 2026 Jul 19:1-16. Online ahead of print.

 

Berkan Şahin et al

Giresun University Faculty of Medicine, Giresun, Turkey; Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey.

 

Stuttering is increasingly recognized as a neurodevelopmental condition extending beyond speech-motor disruptions to include socio-emotional and social-cognitive processes. This study examined emotion regulation, empathy, and theory of mind (ToM) in children who stutter (CWS) compared to typically developing peers. Eighty school-aged children (41 CWS, 39 children who do not stutter [CWNS]) were assessed using the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC), Bryant Index of Empathy (BIE), and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test - Child Version (RMET-C). CWS demonstrated significantly greater emotion regulation difficulties (higher Lability/Negativity and total ERC scores; all p < 0.001), lower empathy (p < 0.001), and poorer ToM performance (p < 0.001) than CWNS. False Discovery Rate-corrected item-level analyses identified five RMET-C items on which CWS showed reduced accuracy, spanning affectively valenced states (worried, carefree, friendly) and cognitively complex mental states (thinking about something, certain). A sensitivity analysis excluding CWS with comorbid ADHD (n = 31) replicated all primary findings. Within the CWS group, female gender (p = 0.003) and higher maternal education (p = 0.001) predicted greater empathy, whereas psychiatric comorbidity predicted lower empathy (p = 0.022) and greater emotion regulation difficulties (p = 0.008). Stuttering severity was not associated with any socio-emotional outcome (all p > 0.05). These findings suggest that CWS experience significant socio-emotional and social-cognitive difficulties independent of disfluency severity. Multidimensional assessment and intervention addressing emotion regulation and social cognition alongside speech fluency may support optimal developmental outcomes.

PMID: 42473200 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2026.2706028

 

 

 

Enhancing speech fluency in adults who stutter: A randomised controlled trial of anodal tDCS combined with fluency-shaping intervention- NEUROCIÊNCIAS

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Apr 28:88:106221.. Online ahead of print.

 

Kowsar Esfandeh et al

Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Dortmund, Germany; Bielefeld University; University Clinic of Psychiatry Psychotherapy, Bielefeld, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Bochum, Germany; Charles Darwin University, Australia Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Elderly Health Research Center, Tehran, Iran.

 

Background: Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that typically emerges in childhood and may persist into adulthood. The current study hypothesized that adults with persistent stuttering who received active anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left inferior frontal gyrus would demonstrate significantly greater improvements in speech fluency compared to those who received sham stimulation.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a combined therapeutic approach. Thirty adults diagnosed with moderate to severe stuttering (6 females, 24 males; M = 30.60 years, SD = 10.15) were randomly assigned to either an anodal tDCS group or a sham stimulation group. Participants in the anodal group received fluency shaping therapy concurrently with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (2 mA), while those in the sham group underwent the same behavioral therapy alongside sham stimulation. The tDCS was targeted over the left inferior frontal gyrus. Each participant completed ten 20-minute sessions over five consecutive days. Speech fluency outcomes were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Results: The anodal tDCS group demonstrated significantly greater reductions in %SS, NAT, and SR compared to the sham group across all post-intervention time points (p < .05). Regarding the OASES, no significant between-group differences were observed at any time point; however, both groups demonstrated significant within-group improvements from baseline to the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that tDCS, when combined with behavioral fluency interventions, can enhance speech fluency in adults who stutter. tDCS may therefore serve as a promising adjunctive technique to augment the effectiveness of conventional fluency therapies.

PMID: 42092230 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106221

 

 

 

Evaluation of central auditory processing skills in children with stuttering - AUDITIVO

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2026 Mar;283(3):1939-1946. Epub 2026 Jan 3.
Free Full Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13002714/pdf/405_2025_Article_9952.pdf

 

Işık Sibel Küçükünal et al

Gazi University, Ankara, Türkiye.

 

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate central auditory processing skills in children with stuttering.

Methods: Twenty children with stuttering (CWS) group (3 females, 17 males) and 20 Typical Development (TD) group children (7 females, 13 males) with normal pure-tone hearing were given the Frequency Pattern Test (FPT) and Duration Pattern Test (DPT), Filtre Words (FW), Auditory Figure-Ground (AFG), Competing Words (CW) and Competing Sentences (CS) tests used in Central Auditory Processing (CAP).

Results: No significant difference was found in either group's FW, AFG, and CS tests. However, there was a significant difference between the scores obtained from the FPT, DPT, and CW tests. FPT and DPT results revealed a significant difference between the frequency and duration pattern scores of children in the CWS and TD groups (p < 0.001). Statistical comparisons of right-left ear difference scores between the CWS and TD groups were conducted for the SCAN-C subtest for DW, with significant differences (p < 0.01). Children with stuttering scored lower on these tests compared to typical development.

Conclusion: The observed pattern of results characterized by deficits in FPT, DPT, and dichotic auditory tasks aligns with theoretical models that implicate interhemispheric transfer in stuttering. Based on our behavioral data, we propose a hypothesis: the core difficulty may not lie in right-to-left hemisphere transfer, but in the longer loop of left-to-right and back again, potentially introducing critical timing delays in sound processing. It is recommended that interhemispheric training be implemented as part of stuttering interventions.plemented as part of stuttering int.

PMID: 41484484 PMCID: PMC13002714

 

 

 

Evidence for the Treatment of Co-Occurring Stuttering and Speech Sound Disorders in Children: A Scoping Review - FALA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jul 8;35(4):1868-1885. Epub 2026 Jun 3.

 

Jacqueline Collins et al

The University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

 

Purpose: This review article aimed to provide an overview of the information available to guide speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding treatment of co-occurring stuttering and speech sound disorder (SSD) in children aged 0-18 years.

Method: Systematic searches of 10 databases, gray literature sources (e.g., textbooks, ProQuest dissertations), and nontraditional sources (e.g., websites, social media) were conducted. The search was limited to sources that were (a) published in 1990 or later, (b) published in English, (c) referenced children (0-18 years old) with co-occurring stuttering and SSDs, and (d) described intervention strategies that targeted either stuttering, SSD, or both disorders concurrently.

Results: Thirty-four items were identified and extracted. This review article highlighted that there is limited empirical research and information/advice for children with co-occurring stuttering and SSD, with six intervention studies, three survey studies, and two qualitative studies identified. Results revealed 23 sources of expert opinions, including book chapters, journal articles, and websites.

Conclusions: This review article provides a useful summary of information that is available to guide SLPs managing children within this population. While expert opinions and frameworks offer valuable clinical advice, the review article highlighted gaps in the literature, especially a lack of intervention studies involving children with co-occurring stuttering and SSD.

PMID: 42234467 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-25-00312

 

 

 

Exploration of parents' and children's perspectives of change following Palin Stammering Therapy for school aged Children (aged 8-14) - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jun:88:106225. Epub 2026 May 26.

 

Sarah Caughter et al

Michael Palin Centre, London, United Kingdom.

 

Purpose: There is little evidence regarding the impact of therapy with older school aged children who stutter. The aim of this qualitative study was to capture the voices of children and their parents regarding change following Palin Stammering Therapy for School-aged Children (Palin STSC(8-14)).

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 children who stutter (aged 12;8-14;9 years) and 15 parents who attended Palin STSC(8-14) in individual weekly family sessions or intensive group therapy. Families were monitored for one year from therapy onset and interviews took place within eight months of the end of the monitoring period. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded, and themes extracted using Thematic Analysis (Attride-Stirling, 2001).

Results: All participants reported positive change and 25 out of 26 participants said the impact of stuttering was reduced as a direct result of Palin STSC(8-14). Recurrent themes of change included: greater understanding about stuttering, increased confidence, increased child participation and more openness about and acceptance of stuttering. Group therapy participants reported the importance of community, while individual therapy participants reported increased family connection. All aspects of the broad Palin STSC(8-14) therapy programme were reported as valuable. Parents' involvement was viewed as a key contributor to meaningful change.

Conclusion: Overall, findings showed the perceived gains from this holistic therapy approach for both group and individual family therapy were wide. These findings add to emerging quantitative evidence supporting Palin STSC(8-14) as a beneficial therapy approach for older school aged children who stutter, with children and parents reporting broad and positive changes from the therapy.

PMID: 42229237 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106225

 

 

 

Exploring Photobiomodulation as a Potential Novel Intervention for Developmental Stuttering: A Review and Hypothesis - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Review J Clin Med. 2026 Mar 7;15(5):2041.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12986215/pdf/jcm-15-02041.pdf

 

Borja Ignacio Ferreras et al

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota D.C., Bogota, Colombia;  Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.

 

Developmental stuttering (DS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 5% of children, characterized by involuntary disruptions in speech fluency. Despite its prevalence, the precise pathophysiology remains elusive, and current behavioral and pharmacological interventions often yield variable long-term efficacy. This scoping review evaluates the therapeutic potential of transcranial photobiomodulation (t-PBM), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, by summarizing its mechanisms of action with the known neurophysiological deficits of DS. Evidence indicates that DS is associated with reduced regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in Broca's area, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired neural connectivity. t-PBM may address these deficits by stimulating cytochrome c oxidase, thereby increasing ATP production and triggering nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation to enhance rCBF. Furthermore, t-PBM promotes neuroplasticity, modulates astrocyte function-potentially counteracting GNPTAB-related deficits-and exhibits anxiolytic effects that may alleviate the secondary psychological burden of DS. By targeting these multifactorial underpinnings, t-PBM may represent a promising, low-risk adjunct or primary intervention for DS, though this remains to be tested empirically. While the theoretical framework is robust, clinical trials are needed to determine whether t-PBM has therapeutic utility, to optimize treatment parameters, establish longitudinal efficacy, and explore synergistic effects with established speech-language therapies.

PMID: 41827457 PMCID: PMC12986215 DOI: 10.3390/jcm15052041

 

 

 

Expressive language growth among young children who do and do not stutter - LINGUAGEM

J Commun Disord. 2026 May 9:122:106659. Online ahead of print.

 

Shanley Treleaven; Megan Sheppard; Nan Bernstein Ratner; Soo-Eun Chang

University of Michigan, USA; University of Maryland, USA; Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.

 

Purpose: Previous research on language development differences in children who stutter (CWS) compared to their non-stuttering peers (CWNS) has yielded mixed results. Few studies have analyzed spontaneous speech samples from both groups studied over time. This study aims to examine expressive language by analyzing growth in expressive syntactic complexity. We also explored the relationships among syntactic complexity growth, recovery and persistence status, and stuttering severity.

Method: Conversational speech samples were collected annually over 3-4 years from 100 CWS (32 female) and 85 CWNS (36 female), aged 3;0-5;11 at the study's start. These recorded samples were analyzed using the Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn). We employed hierarchical linear regression modeling and Empirical Bayes' posterior means to assess group differences and individual growth trajectories over time.

Results: Overall, both groups exhibited similar growth in syntactic complexity. Among CWS, there was no notable difference in syntactic complexity growth between those who recovered from stuttering and those who persisted. In children who recovered, higher complexity of expressive syntax was significantly associated with lower stuttering severity. Additional analyses suggested that CWS tended to have lower scores on the IPSyn Verb Phrase subscale compared to CWNS.

Conclusions: In this study, development in expressive syntactic complexity did not distinguish CWS from CWNS, nor did it differentiate between children who recovered from stuttering and those who persisted. However, in children who recovered, greater expressive syntax scores were linked to reduced stuttering severity, suggesting that more mature language ability may play a protective role in stuttering recovery.

PMID: 42150353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106659

 

 

 

Factors Influencing Attitudes of Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students Toward Stuttering: A Nationwide Survey - SOCIAL

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 May 15:1-18. Online ahead of print.

 

Yan Ma, Kenneth O St Louis et al

Purdue University Fort Wayne, IN; Flexcare Medical Staffing, Roseville, CA; Garden City Schools, KS; Go Physical Therapy, Grand Island, NE; Fort Wayne Community Schools, IN; West Virginia University, Morgantown.

 

Purpose: This study examined attitudes toward stuttering among graduate students enrolled in U.S. speech-language pathology programs and tested whether three educational experiences-fluency-related coursework, clinical experience (simulated-only vs. real/both), and extracurricular engagement-were associated with distinct components of attitudes.

Method: A total of 145 speech-language pathology graduate students from 32 U.S. states completed the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and a 12-item educational questionnaire. POSHA-S descriptive statistics were generated using the scoring workbook and referenced to the global POSHA-S database. Summary independent t tests compared current scores with the most recent U.S. speech-language pathology student benchmark. Two multiple linear regression models examined associations between educational experiences and POSHA-S subscores: Beliefs (cognitive) and Self-Reactions (affective-behavioral).

Results: Participants demonstrated highly positive attitudes toward stuttering relative to global norms, with mean Overall Stuttering score (OSS), Beliefs score, and Self-Reactions score in the highest quartile (97th, 94th, and 97th percentiles, respectively). Compared with the 2014 sample, while no statistically significant differences were observed for OSS, Beliefs, or Self-Reactions, mean scores were numerically higher by approximately five to six units. In regression analyses, coursework completion significantly predicted higher Beliefs. The Self-Reactions model was significant; simulated-only clinical experience, real/both clinical experience, and extracurricular engagement were each associated with higher Self-Reactions.

Conclusions: Speech-language pathology graduate students reported generally positive attitudes toward stuttering, with patterns suggesting that coursework relates most strongly to cognitive beliefs, whereas clinical (including simulated) and extracurricular experiences relate to affective-behavioral reactions. Findings support multimodal fluency education that integrates didactic instruction with opportunities for direct or simulated contact and community-based engagement.

PMID: 42138554 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00557

 

 

 

Fluency Should Not Be a Goal in Stuttering Therapy - CONCEITO

Review J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jul 9;69(7). Epub 2026 Jun 11.

 

Eric S Jackson

New York University, NY.

 

Purpose: Fluency is an understandable hope, but this article argues that it should not be a goal in stuttering therapy. The problem is not that easier speech is undesirable, nor that fluency cannot increase for many people who stutter. The problem is that current therapies do not directly train fluency itself. In stuttering, moreover, fluency is often used to refer to both fluent-sounding speech and speech experienced as spontaneous, comparatively less effortful, and relatively unselfconscious, and those meanings are not equivalent.

Method: The article distinguishes fluent-sounding speech from fluent experience; examines the proximal targets of fluency-focused therapy; explains why fluency is an indirect, variable, and poorly specified outcome rather than a directly trainable state; reviews interpretive limits of adult and preschool evidence when outcomes are defined primarily by percent syllables stuttered (%SS); and outlines a process-goal and measurement framework organized around reduced struggle, reduced avoidance, greater spontaneity, flexible strategy use, and communicative participation.

Results: Treatments described as targeting fluency more directly train reduced overt stuttering or strategy-mediated speech than fluency itself. Because stuttering varies with context, anticipation, and social demand and because ordinary speech itself is not perfectly interruption free, fluency is a context-dependent and multidimensional outcome rather than a stable, directly trainable end point. Reductions in %SS are therefore hard to interpret on their own: They may miss avoidance; reduced spontaneity; effort; anticipation; participation costs; and, in preschool studies, improvement related to natural recovery. Overt frequency measures become clinically informative only when interpreted alongside avoidance-, spontaneity-, participation-, and response-based metrics.

Conclusions: Speech modification and other therapy strategies may be useful as flexible tools for reducing struggle, increasing engagement, and supporting easier communication but not as direct routes to fluency. Fluency is best understood as a possible downstream byproduct of therapy, with treatment and outcome evaluation organized around directly targetable processes and real-world freedom to communicate.

PMID: 42275641 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-26-00111

 

 

 

From Classroom to Community: A Viewpoint on Advocacy Assignments Encouraging Student Action - TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 13;35(1):394-401. Epub 2025 Dec 12.

 

Katie L Winters & Megan M Young

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.

 

Purpose: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) includes advocacy in a list of five professional practice areas within the scope of practice for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), yet few SLPs report self-efficacy and preparedness to advocate. The purpose of this viewpoint article is to discuss advocacy within the context of the current disability and stuttering discourse and offer a structured advocacy assignment as one method of fostering graduate students' agency and action to advocate for the stuttering community.

Method: We provide an overview of advocacy within ASHA's scope of practice, disability frameworks, and self-advocacy as they relate to stutter-affirming therapy. Then, we introduce an advocacy assignment for graduate students enrolled in a semester-long stuttering course.

Results: The advocacy assignment introduced in this viewpoint article has been incorporated into four distinct stuttering courses. Here, we explain the different types of advocacy students may pursue through the assignment and example products of each advocacy type.

Conclusions: We recommend that graduate programs, course instructors, and clinical supervisors/preceptors consider opportunities to build graduate students' confidence in advocacy, particularly advocacy completed in collaboration with the stuttering community. Future research will assess the effectiveness of a stuttering advocacy assignment in increasing students' preparedness to advocate as part of their professional practice.

PMID: 41386769 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00138

 

 

 

Functional speech disorder in a patient with X-linked adrenomyeloneuropathy: a diagnostic challenge - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA
Case Reports Clin Park Relat Disord. 2026 Jul 3:15:100479.

Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13380208/pdf/main.pdf

 

Juan Sebastián Sánchez León et al

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil; General Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy.

 

We describe a 54-year-old female carrier of X-linked adrenomyeloneuropathy presenting with episodic stuttering triggered by mild exertion. Despite pre-existing neurological disease, normal neuroimaging, clinical inconsistency, distractibility, and rapid response to respiratory-based therapy supported a functional speech disorder. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing functional speech disorders in patients with other comorbid neurological conditions.
PMID: 42472267 PMCID: PMC13380208

 

 

 

Gender Differences in the Impact of Stuttering: Evidence from Chinese Adults - SOCIAL

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Jul 10:1-25. Online ahead of print.

 

Yan Ma, Ran An, Yan Cheng, Jia Bin, J Scott Yaruss

 

Introduction: Gender differences in the experience of stuttering have been documented in several Western contexts, where women often report greater psychosocial impact than men. However, little quantitative evidence exists from non-Western cultures, particularly China, where gender norms and communication expectations differ markedly. This study examined gender differences in the multidimensional impact of stuttering among Chinese adults using the Simplified Chinese version of the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering-Adult (OASES-A-SC).

Methods: Participants were 340 adults who stutter, recruited from a large online self-help community in mainland China. All completed the OASES-A-SC and a demographic questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were conducted for the Overall Impact Score and each OASES section, with gender, self-rated stuttering severity, age, therapy history, support-group participation and educational level entered as predictors. Item-level gender differences were examined using Common Language (CL) effect sizes for all 100 OASES items.

Results: Self-rated stuttering severity was the strongest predictor of impact across all sections. Support-group participation was consistently associated with lower adverse impact. In the full models with multiple covariates, gender significantly predicted the Overall Impact Score, Section I (General Information), and Section II (Reactions to Stuttering), with men reporting slightly higher impact than women. Gender did not significantly predict Section III (Daily Communication) or Section IV (Quality of Life). Item-level CL analyses revealed that most items showed negligible to small gender differences (CL = .50-.58). Only five items-four involving socially visible daily interactions and one involving societal participation-reached borderline-moderate effects (CL slightly above .60), with men reporting greater difficulty. No item reached a large effect size.

Conclusions: Gender differences in the stuttering experience among Chinese adults were modest, context-specific, and embedded in cultural expectations rather than broad or pervasive. Patterns diverged from Western findings in which women often report greater psychosocial burden. In China's higher-masculinity cultural context, fluent, assertive public communication is more strongly expected of men, which may heighten their reported impact in socially demanding situations. The overall high impact levels observed in this sample may also compress gender differences. These findings underscore the importance of culturally and gender-sensitive assessment and intervention, and highlight the value of peer support, especially in contexts with limited access to professional services.

PMID: 42430311 DOI: 10.1159/000553044

 

 

 

Hidden Communication Needs in Higher Education: A Scoping Review of Developmental Communication Disorders, Mental Health, and Academic Participation - SOCIAL

Review Healthcare (Basel). 2026 Jun 21;14(12):1790.

Free Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13299988/pdf/healthcare-14-01790.pdf

 

Xiaowen Qi &  Yang Zhao

University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China.

 

Background/objectives: Higher education requires students to communicate in complex academic and social contexts, including oral presentations, group work, help-seeking, assessment, and peer interaction. For students with developmental communication disorders, and communication-related developmental profiles, these demands may create hidden participation vulnerabilities that affect mental health, academic engagement, and belonging. This scoping review mapped empirical evidence among tertiary students, focusing on mental health, academic participation, social belonging, institutional support, and contextual influences.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidance. Five databases, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science, were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed empirical studies published from 2000 onwards. Eligible studies involved university, college, or tertiary students with developmental speech, language, fluency, pragmatic communication, or communication-related developmental profiles, who reported at least one mental health, academic, or social participation outcome. Data were charted and synthesised thematically, with methodological quality appraised using CASP-informed criteria.

Results: Twenty-one studies were included. Evidence was strongest for stuttering and fluency-related participation, while research on developmental language disorder, speech sound disorder, pragmatic language impairment, cluttering, and mixed communication profiles was limited. Across studies, communication needs intersected with anxiety, depression, stress, self-efficacy, oral assessment, help-seeking, disclosure, stigma, accommodation access, and belonging. Key limitations included reliance on self-report, cross-sectional or retrospective designs, inconsistent diagnostic confirmation, and limited evidence for intervention.

Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that developmental communication disorders and communication-related developmental profiles can function as hidden participation vulnerabilities in higher education. These vulnerabilities are shaped by students' communication profiles and by communication-intensive university environments. Universities may therefore need communication-accessible teaching, flexible assessment, visible support pathways, and coordinated support across disability services, counselling, academic support, and speech-language pathology.

PMID: 42354648 PMCID: PMC13299988

 

 

 

Homozygous PTRHD1 Mutation in Intellectual Disability and Atypical Parkinsonism - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

Case Reports Yale J Biol Med. 2026 Mar 31;99(1):143-167.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13023423/pdf/yjbm_99_1_143.pdf

 

Esra Yıldız Bölükbaşı et al

Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Türkiye; National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; Rawalpindi Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye.

 

Five different homozygous PTRHD1 mutations, two of them in more than one family, have been reported as responsible for intellectual disability (ID) and parkinsonism. In all 10 families, onset of ID was early childhood, and in parkinsonism, later childhood to the fourth decade. We report on a family with four siblings presenting with mild to moderate ID and mildly ataxic gait without spasticity or hemiparesis that is not consistent with parkinsonism. The signs of parkinsonism such as bradykinesia, tremor, slow to response, dementia, and gait problems appeared in the fourth decade. There was no muscle rigidity and postural instability, but there were unusual features of exotropia, pectus excavatum, and prominent clavicles. Linkage analysis using SNP genotyping followed by exome sequencing led to the discovery of PTRHD1 c.155G>A (p.Cys52Tyr), already reported in an Iranian sibling pair. Our findings reveal that not all PTRHD1 mutations manifest with muscle rigidity and postural instability and confirm that gait problems may not be evident until towards the end of the fourth decade. Early onset behavioral problems in presented patients include attention deficit, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior and seclusion, apraxia of speech, stuttering, and somniloquy. Gait ataxia, exotropia, pectus excavatum, and prominent clavicles further widen the clinical phenotype. PTRHD1 is expressed in many organs, and we found widespread expression in the adult brain. The association of PTRHD1 dysfunction with both cognitive and motor phenotypes highlights the potential role of the protein in neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration.

PMID: 41918506 PMCID: PMC13023423 DOI: 10.59249/RIBG4986

 

 

 

How does ChatGPT respond to stuttering-related frequently asked questions? A mixed-methods, cross-version comparison - CONCEITO

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jun:88. Epub 2026 May 22.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000318?via%3Dihub

 

Amir Hossein Rasoli Jokar & Hamid Karimi

Michigan State University, United States; Charles Darwin University, Australia.

 

Purpose: This study compared responses to stuttering-related frequently asked questions (FAQs) generated by two versions of ChatGPT (the freely accessible ChatGPT-4 and the subscription-based ChatGPT-4.5), evaluating content, emotional tone, structural organization, and readability.

Method: A set of 34 FAQs was developed through a two-stage process. First, the authors created an initial pool of questions. Then, 13 adults who stutter rated and refined these items for relevance. Each FAQ was entered once into GPT-4 and GPT-4.5. Responses were grouped into five broad content domains for computational analysis; these domains were identified and refined through thematic analysis. Responses were analyzed using (a) reflexive thematic analysis, (b) computational emotional analysis, and (c) quantitative readability analysis.

Results: Both versions produced highly overlapping thematic content, yielding six shared themes. However, systematic cross-version differences emerged in how this content was delivered. GPT-4.5 produced substantially shorter responses (≈63% reduction in length) that were more structured and directive, whereas GPT-4 provided longer and more narrative explanations. Despite increased concision, GPT-4.5 responses were modestly less readable. Emotional profiles were largely congruent across models, dominated by anticipation and trust in therapy and parenting domains, with more neutral affect for causes and variability.

Conclusions: ChatGPT functioned as a first-line explainer for stuttering-related FAQs. It provided generally accurate basic information and often used relatively non-stigmatizing language, while consistently emphasizing the importance of treatment, particularly early intervention for stuttering. Model iteration primarily reshaped how information was framed and accessed rather than substantially changing what was conveyed. These findings underscored the importance of clinician oversight, accessibility considerations, and ethical caution when considering the use of AI-generated content in public health communication about stuttering.

PMID: 42229238 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106223

 

 

 

How Simple Can a Treatment for Early Stuttering Be? A Proposed Two-Factor Early Intervention - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Mar 10;35(2):422-430. Epub 2026 Feb 19.

 

Mark Onslow et al

University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

 

Purpose: In this clinical focus article, we draw attention to the need for immediate intervention shortly after stuttering onset. More than half of stuttering onsets occur before 3 years of age. We argue that existing interventions for preschool children who stutter require varying levels of cognitive engagement from children; hence, they are not suitable for children of that age. For this reason, we argue that there is no clinical trials evidence for treatment efficacy with children younger than 3 years of age.

Conclusions: There are many recommended parent strategies that do not require any active participation from children, which, therefore, may be suitable for immediate stuttering intervention. Two of these have laboratory support in their favor: parent speech rate reduction and increased interturn speaker latency. Therefore, we developed a clinical protocol based on those two parent strategies and showed the clinical viability of the protocol with three children who stuttered. We argue that automation of our proposed treatment with lifelike artificial intelligence-generated avatar clinicians will make it globally viable, and a suitable target for future Phases I-IV clinical trials.

PMID: 41712855 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00256

 

 

 

How Variability Is Addressed in Interventions for Neurodiverse Conditions: Implications for Stuttering - TERAPIA

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jan 8;69(1):123-165. Epub 2025 Dec 1
Free Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12806016/

 

Amir Hossein Rasoli Jokar, J Scott Yaruss et al

Michigan State University, East Lansing; University of Vermont, Burlington.

 

Purpose: This scoping review aimed to investigate strategies from peer-reviewed literature for addressing behavioral and experiential variability in neurodiverse conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, and Tourette syndrome. Specifically, we explored how approaches used with other conditions could be adapted to better account for variability in the assessment and treatment of stuttering.e

Method: A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted for studies published between 2000 and March 2025, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Fifty-five studies met inclusion criteria by describing methods for measuring or managing variability across situations, across tasks, or over time. A narrative synthesis was used to analyze and interpret findings.

Results: Key strategies for addressing variability in assessment included real-time data collection through ecological momentary assessment and contextual analysis using tailored rating scales. Key strategies for managing variability included personalized treatment, adaptive treatment models, cognitive therapy techniques, environmental modifications, and psychoeducation. These methods hold potential for improving the evaluation and management of variability within the population of individuals who stutter.

Conclusions: Adapting strategies from other neurodiverse conditions to stuttering has the potential to offer benefits such as improved measurement of variability and more personalized interventions. This review emphasizes the value of cross-disciplinary approaches to enhance quality of life for those who stutter.

PMID: 41324421 PMCID: PMC12806016

 

 

 

Immediate Effects of Delayed Auditory Feedback on Stuttering: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Literature Published 2000-2024 - AUDITIVO

Review Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jul-Aug;61(4):e70283.

Free Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13292190/pdf/JLCD-61-0.pdf

 

Daichi Iimura et al

University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.

 

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the fluency- enhancing effect of DAF alone in individuals with developmental stuttering.

Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched multiple databases for studies published between 2000 and 2024. Eligible studies examined DAF conditions applied to speech tasks with stuttering-related outcomes. Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model, with subgroup analyses by disfluency type, delay time, speech task, stuttering severity, and participant age.

Results: Of the 194 records screened, eight studies involving a total of 98 participants in total met the inclusion criteria, and five studies involving 61 participants were eligible for quantitative synthesis. Each study included 8-20 participants ranging from school-age children to adults. Most participants were male, and stuttering severity ranged from mild to severe. DAF conditions were evaluated using oral reading and spontaneous speech/monologue tasks. Meta-analysis revealed no significant overall benefit of DAF compared with normal auditory feedback (NAF; mean difference = -1.46, 95% CI [-4.83, 1.91]).

Conclusion: DAF alone does not consistently reduce disfluencies; however, specific populations and conditions may derive greater benefits from it. Larger, well-controlled studies are needed to clarify its therapeutic potential and clinical applications.

What this paper adds: What is already known on this subject Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) has been reported to improve fluency in people who stutter and is used in several assistive devices. However, its independent effect remains unclear because DAF is often combined with other altered auditory feedback conditions. What this study adds to existing knowledge This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the exclusive effect of DAF on stuttering. The results indicate that DAF alone does not consistently reduce disfluency compared with NAF, although certain conditions (e.g., shorter delays or reading tasks) may show greater benefits. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Clinicians should interpret the fluency-enhancing effects of DAF cautiously when used alone. Further well-controlled studies are needed to determine which individuals and speech contexts may benefit most from DAF-based interventions.

PMID: 42340070 PMCID: PMC13292190

 

 

 

Immersive Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Communication Disorders: A Scoping Review - TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 May 5:1-17. Online ahead of print.

 

Charles J Nudelman et al

Syracuse University, NY.

 

Background: The objective of the present scoping review was to identify how immersive virtual reality (VR) has been implemented within the discipline of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) among clinical populations.

Method: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, five electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 1965 and August 2025. A total of 1,116 records were identified, of which 11 publications met the inclusion criteria of employing immersive VR with individuals diagnosed with a communication disorder and involving a speech-language pathologist or CSD researcher.

Results: Across the 11 included studies, nearly half (45%) examined immersive VR applications for stuttering, while other studies targeted aphasia, dementia, voice disorders, and neurogenic communication disorders. Most studies employed within-subject experimental or case study designs with small sample sizes (ranging from three to 36 participants, ages 9-81 years). Generally, across studies, immersive VR elicited communicative and emotional responses comparable to those observed in real-world contexts. Participants reported strong presence and engagement, supporting the potential and feasibility of VR-based interventions across CSD populations.

Discussion: Strengths of the evidence include consistent feasibility outcomes. Limitations include small sample sizes, short intervention durations, and considerable heterogeneity in study designs and outcome measures. Clinicians and researchers may find immersive VR a valuable complement to conventional methods, offering opportunities to study and support communication behaviors within controlled yet ecologically relevant contexts.

PMID: 42085608 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-25-00596

 

 

 

Immune response and stuttering: the potential link between cytokines and stutter - CONCEITO

Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2026 Jul 27;92(5):101774. Online ahead of print.
Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13446297/pdf/main.pdf

 

Saime Güzelsoy Sagiroglu et al

Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey; Lokman Hekim University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

 

Objective: Stuttering is a common speech disorder among the general population, characterized by disruptions in the fluency of speech. Even if many studies have been managed on stuttering, the etiology has not yet been exactly explained. This article aims to assess the level of cytokines in patients who stutter to provide evidence-based guidelines for clinicians.

Methods: A total of 74 children, including 34 who were stutterers and 40 who were controls, aged 4-15 years were included. The children with stuttering completed the Stuttering Severity Instrument-3 (SSI-3) form. Serum concentrations of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were analyzed in blood samples obtained from the subjects.

Results: Of the stuttering children we included in the study, 3 (8.8%) had very mild, 13 (38.2%) had mild, (35.2%) had moderate, 4 (11.7%) had severe, and 2 (5.8%) had very severe stuttering. IL-1, IL-8, and TNF-α levels in stuttering patients were significantly higher compared to the control group (p = 0.028, p = 0.031, p < 0.001, respectively). The IL-6 level did not show a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.461). Regarding the diagnostic performance of stuttering, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α all demonstrated statistically significant ability to distinguish between patients and the control group (p = 0.025, p = 0.021, p = 0.004, p = 0.003, respectively).

Conclusions: These results suggest an increase in circulating levels of cytokines known to be regulatory and that stuttering is associated with a proinflammatory state. These results may be well-considered important in the diagnosis and evaluation of stuttering. This study contributes further support to investigate the immune system as a target for future therapeutic development.

PMID: 42508206 PMCID: PMC13446297 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2026.101774

 

 

 

Indicators for evaluating public speaking in adults: a scoping review - AVALIAÇÃO

[Article in Portuguese, English]

Codas. 2026 Apr 27;38(3):e20250234. eCollection 2026.

Free article: inglês https://www.scielo.br/j/codas/a/7DGZnTQvfD7BCTDwKpWwGXR/?format=pdf&lang=en

Free article: português

https://www.scielo.br/j/codas/a/7DGZnTQvfD7BCTDwKpWwGXR/?format=pdf&lang=pt

 

Willian Hote Scanferla et al

Affiliations Collapse

Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG - Belo Horizonte (MG), Brasil.

 

Abstract in English

Purpose: To map the indicators used to observe adults' public speaking and to identify the forms of measurement.

Research strategies: The acronym PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) and combined descriptors were used to search the LILACS (BVS), MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science (Clarivate), and Cochrane databases.

Selection criteria: Studies on the assessment of adult public speaking, conducted through observation by evaluators/judges, published in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, with no restrictions regarding year of publication or methodological design, were included. Studies involving individuals with stuttering or neurological disorders, those employing technological or non-human assessment, those focused on foreign language teaching, or those based solely on self-perception were excluded.

Results: A total of 35 studies published between 2002 and 2024 were included, with a concentration in 2016 and a predominance of articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Most of the identified indicators were developed by the authors themselves or adapted from existing protocols. They were distributed across major domains: discourse structure, language use, supporting materials, vocal expressiveness, and nonverbal behaviors. The most commonly used measurement scale was the Likert-type scale.

Conclusion: The mapping identified recurring indicators in public speaking assessment: discourse structure (introduction, development, organization, clarity, conclusion), supporting resources, language (audience appropriateness, argumentation, pronunciation, fluency), nonverbal behaviors (eye contact, gestures, posture, facial expressiveness), and vocal expressiveness (volume, rhythm, pitch, articulation, modulation). The predominant form of measurement was the Likert-type scale.

PMID: 42054185 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/e20250234pt

 

Resumo em Português

Objetivo: Mapear os indicadores utilizados para observar a fala em público de adultos e identificar as formas de mensuração. Estratégia de pesquisa: O acrônimo PCC (População, Conceito e Contexto) e descritores combinados foram utilizados para busca nas bases de dados LILACS (BVS), MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science (Clarivate) e Cochrane. Critérios de seleção: Foram incluídos estudos sobre a avaliação da fala em público de adultos, conduzida por meio de observação de avaliadores/juízes, publicados em inglês, português ou espanhol, sem restrição quanto ao ano de publicação ou delineamento metodológico. Foram excluídos estudos com indivíduos que gaguejam ou com alterações neurológicas, que utilizassem avaliação tecnológica ou não humana, focados no ensino de língua estrangeira ou baseados apenas na autopercepção. Análise dos dados: Realizou-se triagem e leitura completa dos estudos, gerenciados no Rayyan, com extração de dados (base de dados, título, autores, ano, idioma, objetivo, método de avaliação, indicadores de análise da fala em público, tipo de escala de resposta e evidências de validade), organizados em planilha para análise e síntese. Resultados: Foram incluídos 35 estudos publicados entre 2002 e 2024, com concentração em 2016 e predominância de artigos das bases Scopus e Web of Science. Os indicadores identificados foram, em sua maioria, elaborados pelos próprios autores ou adaptados de protocolos existentes. Eles se distribuíram em grandes domínios: estrutura do discurso, uso da linguagem, material de apoio, expressividade vocal e comportamentos não verbais. A escala de mensuração mais utilizada foi a do tipo Likert. Conclusão: O mapeamento identificou indicadores recorrentes na avaliação da fala em público: estrutura do discurso (introdução, desenvolvimento, organização, clareza, conclusão), recursos de apoio, linguagem (adequação ao público, argumentação, pronúncia, fluência), comportamentos não verbais (contato visual, gestos, postura, expressividade facial) e expressividade vocal (volume, ritmo, tom, articulação, modulação). A forma de mensuração predominante foi a escala do tipo Likert.

 

 

 

Information Load Predicts Stuttering Events - LINGUAGEM

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Apr 10;69(4):1554-1567. Epub 2026 Mar 24.

 

Haley J Warner, Nan Bernstein Ratner & Eric S Jackson 1

New York University, New York; University of Maryland, College Park.

 

Purpose: One potential contributor to the variability of stuttering events is information load, quantified by assessing word predictability based on preceding context. This study investigated whether words with greater information load are more likely to be stuttered using word surprisal as an index while controlling for relevant linguistic variables. We also examined whether this relationship varied with stuttering severity and impact.

Method: We analyzed spontaneous speech samples from 35 adults who stutter, drawn from the FluencyBank corpus. Word surprisal values were computed using the Generative Pretrained Transformer 2 large language model and analyses controlled for six linguistic predictors of stuttering. We also tested whether clinical measures of stuttering severity and overall impact predicted individuals' sensitivity to surprisal.

Results: Higher word surprisal significantly increased the likelihood of stuttering, even after controlling for linguistic covariates. However, we found no evidence that stuttering severity or overall impact moderated this relationship.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that words with greater information load are more likely to elicit stuttering during spontaneous speech. This pattern may reflect increased communicative demands associated with high-surprisal words. The absence of a moderating effect of stuttering severity or impact may indicate that individual differences in coping with communicative pressure, rather than clinical severity alone, shape stuttering variability.

PMID: 41874241 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00833

 

 

 

Intersectionality and stuttering: A sociolinguistic perspective - SOCIAL

J Commun Disord. 2026 Jan-Feb:119:106607. Epub 2025 Nov 28.

 

Carolina Beita-Ell & Michael P Boyle 2

Montclair State University, Bloomfield, NJ, United States.

 

Introduction: This study sought to counter an ableist (often listeners') perspective of stuttering through obtaining the perspectives and lived-experiences of a historically underrepresented subgroup of individuals who stutter - Latinos/as/xs/es who stutter.

Methods: By means of semi-structured interviews and an online survey, nine Latinos/as/xs/es who stutter provided a sociolinguistic (speakers') perspective of the experience of stuttering. Participants were queried about their experience of stuttering, whether being Latino/a/x/e intersected with stuttering, and about other stigmatized identities, attributes, and/or life circumstances that imbued their experience of stuttering. A thematic analysis, using a phenomenological approach, was applied to qualitative data. Statistical analyses were performed on quantitative data.

Results: FOUR MAJOR THEMES EMERGED: (1) Stuttering Does Not Occur in Isolation, (2) At the Crossroads of Stuttering and Bilingualism, (3) Therapeutic Experiences, and (4) Functional and Communicative Barriers. As a social group, i.e. people who stutter, participants identified linguistic and extralinguistic social markers of stuttering. As Latinos/as/xs/es who stutter, a subgroup of people who stutter, some participants reported additional psychosocial implications of the experience of stuttering that were attributed to race/ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and/or language/s spoken.

Conclusions: Findings provide support for the adoption of community-based psychoeducational programs about stuttering, the use of culturally and/or linguistically appropriate measures during assessment and intervention, the inclusion of culture and/or language specific supports for people who stutter, and therapist-client matching to promote a strong therapeutic alliance and improve outcomes of intervention.

PMID: 41365241 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2025.106607

 

 

 

Investigating perspective taking and caregiver-proxy-child communication attitude agreement in early childhood stuttering – INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

PLoS One. 2026 Feb 12;21(2):e0339706. eCollection 2026.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12900327/pdf/pone.0339706.pdf

 

Katie L Winters & Courtney T Byrd

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America 7 The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America.

 

Purpose: Children begin to stutter and develop early attitudes about their communication during a critical period of speech, language, and social cognition development. This study examined social cognition via cognitive and affective perspective taking and explored whether perspective taking influences caregiver-proxy - child communication attitude agreement in 3-6-year-old children who stutter, while accounting for variation in speech and language abilities.

Method: One hundred eleven children who stutter, ages 3-6, completed the KiddyCAT, protocols for cognitive and affective perspective taking, and standardized speech and language assessments. One primary caregiver completed an adapted version of the KiddyCAT, which involved estimating their perception of their child's communication attitude. Analyses were conducted to calculate the caregiver's item-by-item agreement with their child's responses on the KiddyCAT, and multiple regression was used to assess predictors of caregiver-proxy - child KiddyCAT agreement.

Results: Approximately 8% of children performed above chance on the cognitive perspective taking task, whereas 56% performed above chance on the affective task. Caregiver-proxy - child KiddyCAT agreement ranged from 0.56-0.85, with higher agreement on two items requiring the child's perspective taking. Higher speech and language scores predicted greater KiddyCAT agreement for all caregiver-child dyads. Neither affective nor cognitive perspective taking predicted KiddyCAT agreement.

Conclusions: Consistent with research with typically developing children, there is substantial variability in perspective taking in children age 3-6 who stutter, with evidence of emerging affective, but comparatively limited cognitive perspective taking skills. Caregiver-proxy - child agreement on the Kiddy-CAT, a measure that requires both affective and cognitive perspective taking, appears to be stronger for children with more advanced speech and language. Given that at least some young children and their caregivers appear to be aware of each other's perspectives regarding the child's communication, clinicians should facilitate discussion of stuttering and reactions to stuttering openly and neutrally with these caregivers and their children.

PMID: 41678472 PMCID: PMC12900327

 

 

 

Investigating Saudi secondary school teachers' knowledge of stuttering and experiences with adolescents who stutter - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106193. Epub 2026 Jan 8.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X2600001X?via%3Dihub

 

Einas Alharbi et al

University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia; Taibah University, Madina, Saudi Arabia; OST Therapy, Shenzhen, China; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia; Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.

 

Purpose: While numerous studies have evaluated primary school teachers' understanding of stuttering, the knowledge of secondary school teachers, particularly in Saudi Arabia, remains underexplored. This descriptive cross-sectional survey study aimed to assess the knowledge and experiences of Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers who were currently working with, or had previously worked with, adolescents who stutter.

Method: A total of 90 Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers participated in an online survey divided into three sections. Section one collected participant demographic information. In the second section, the Arabic version of the Alabama Stuttering Knowledge Test was used to evaluate secondary school teachers' knowledge of stuttering. The third section, developed through a review of relevant literature, explored secondary school teachers' experience working with adolescents who stutter.

Results: The overall mean knowledge score was 13.73. Most participants expressed high confidence in their abilities to work with and support adolescents who stutter. Most participants did not believe that having adolescents who stutter in their classrooms affected their teaching style or their interactions with them. Participants utilised diverse approaches to promote inclusiveness in the classroom and support adolescents who stutter. Furthermore, most participants frequently rated the effectiveness of various strategies for managing stuttering in the classroom as "very effective".

Conclusion: Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers hold misconceptions about the causes of stuttering and lack collaboration with speech-language pathologists. This indicates a need for targeted training programmes to expand their knowledge and equip them with effective approaches to support adolescents who stutter in educational settings.

PMID: 41529559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106193

 

 

 

Is One Language Enough? Assessing Overt Stuttering Severity in Bilingual Children - INFANTIL / BILINGUISMO

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 May 8:1-17. Online ahead of print.

 

Selma Saad Merouwe, Raymond Bertram, Kurt Eggers

 

Introduction: Little is known about how overt stuttering severity varies across the two languages of bilingual children who stutter (CWS). Most existing studies have focused on adults or relied solely on disfluency frequency measures. This study addressed this gap by examining overt stuttering severity in early bilingual CWS with extensive non-dominant (L2) exposure using the Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4), to determine whether assessment in one or both languages is necessary. The potential influence of sample type (spontaneous vs. narrative) on stuttering severity was also explored.

Methods: Participants were twenty-two bilingual Lebanese CWS aged 4;06 to 7;06. Language dominance was determined via parental questionnaires. Each child produced spontaneous and narrative speech samples in both their dominant language (L1) and L2, which were analyzed using the SSI-4 framework.

Results: No significant differences emerged between L1 and L2 in overall SSI-4 scores. Also, no difference between the languages was found in the overall scores for spontaneous and narrative samples. However, when focusing on a single component of stuttering, namely stuttering frequency, spontaneous speech samples yielded a higher number of stuttering events in L2 than in L1.

Conclusion: The absence of cross-linguistic differences in overall stuttering severity suggests that, for early bilinguals with high L2 exposure, assessing overt stuttering severity in one language may be sufficient. Nevertheless, including both spontaneous and narrative speech samples remains important, as differences may surface when only one sample type is analyzed.

PMID: 42102010 DOI: 10.1159/000552443

 

 

 

 

Knowledge and attitudes toward people who stutter among health sciences students: a cross-sectional study - SOCIAL

BMC Med Educ. 2026 Jul 15. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-026-09946-6

 

Samar Khalidi et al

An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine;

 

Background: The social model of disability acknowledges that the difficulties faced by persons who stutter (PWS) stem not only from speech dysfluency but also from societal barriers, misconceptions, and stigmatizing attitudes that limit participation and inclusion. As future healthcare professionals, health sciences students play an important role in promoting early detection, proper referral, and supportive care. However, there is limited research about their knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes around stuttering, particularly in Palestine and underserved areas.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 603 students enrolled in 14 health-related fields at An-Najah National University in Palestine. Participants completed an online questionnaire that assessed their knowledge and attitudes toward stuttering. SPSS version 25 was used to conduct descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to investigate the relationships between responses and gender, residence, and academic discipline.

Results: Significant misconceptions persisted even though the majority of participants acknowledged the significance of early identification (87.9%) and disputed the idea that stutterers are less intelligent (83.3%). Less than half (38.1%) were aware of nearby treatment facilities, and only 22.9% recognized stuttering as a genetic problem. Many participants thought stutterers were quiet or shy (69.5%), more susceptible to mental health issues (73.6%), and socially ignored (46.1%). Gender, place of residence, and academic discipline all showed significant disparities. While students from a number of other disciplines showed more doubt and misconceptions, students in audiology and speech consistently showed the highest levels of knowledge and more evidence-informed attitudes.

Conclusion: This study reveals considerable knowledge gaps and persistent stigmatizing attitudes toward people who stutter among health sciences students, with marked disparities across disciplines. Targeted curricular interventions are warranted to address misconceptions about people who stutter.

PMID: 42458485 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-09946-6

 

 

 

Latent Classes of Typical and Atypical Speech Development in Low-Income Children: A Longitudinal Study From Early Childhood to Adolescence - INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jul 9:1-17. Online ahead of print.

 

Qingyang Liu et al

Arizona State University, Tempe; Syracuse University, NY, Syracuse

 

Purpose: This study aimed to identify distinct latent classes of speech development by differentiating typical and atypical developmental trajectories from early childhood through adolescence in children from low-income families. It also examined demographic predictors of these latent classes and explored their associations with early infant temperament.

Method: We used five waves of longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, with families from low-income backgrounds below 200% of the federal poverty line (N = 2,802). First, we conducted a longitudinal latent class analysis (LLCA) on six indicators of speech problems and stuttering reported by mothers at 3, 5, 9, and 15 years of age. Second, we examined demographic predictors to distinguish longitudinal latent class membership. Third, we assessed early infant temperament to predict longitudinal latent class membership.

Results: LLCA identified three distinct speech development classes: typical speech development (n = 2,383, 85%); speech problem, not stuttering (n = 322, 11.5%); and persistent stuttering (n = 97, 3.5%). Compared to the typical speech development class, boys had a higher likelihood of belonging to the speech problem, not stuttering class or the persistent stuttering class. Children in the speech problem, not stuttering class exhibited greater levels of emotionality than did children in the typical speech development class.

Conclusion: Findings highlight the need for early identification and intervention for low-income children at risk of early speech problems and the necessity to adopt comprehensive and multilayer intervention across developmental transition stages.

PMID: 42424541 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00319

 

 

 

 

Lesions Involving Medial Anterior Forebrain Pathway Circuitry Destabilize Phrase Timing in Adult Canary Song [pré print] - OUTRAS ÁREAS

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Jul 28:2026.07.11.737998.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13405279/pdf/nihpp-2026.07.11.737998v2.pdf

 

M R Hulsey-Vincent et al

University of Oregon; Eugene, OR, USA.

 

Basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits are essential for learning complex motor sequences, yet how they control flexible motor behavior remains poorly understood. The homologous songbird Anterior Forebrain Pathway (AFP) drives song motor learning and was previously thought not to play a role in song performance, as early lesions showed no effect. This perspective has recently been revised by evidence that the AFP influences song syntax in some species. We revisit this question in adult canaries by performing bilateral excitotoxic lesions targeting the lateral and medial subdivisions of the AFP. To measure behavioral changes, we developed a high-throughput song-annotation pipeline that incorporates a supervised classifier into the self-supervised TweetyBERT model. This removed the memory bottleneck of UMAP clustering, enabling phrase-level analysis across thousands of songs per bird. We find that lesions involving the medial AFP produce a stuttering-like behavior, defined here as prolonged, variable syllable repetition before transitions, resulting in a significant increase in phrase-duration variability. This effect was strongest in birds with medial and lateral AFP lesions, and was not observed in birds with lateral-only AFP lesions. The increased variability persisted throughout the post-lesion recording period and was accompanied by small changes in the acoustic structure of syllables. Our results implicate the medial AFP in the ongoing control of phrase duration in adult canary song, challenging the view that the AFP is dispensable once song is learned. These findings position the medial AFP as a tractable model for understanding how basal ganglia and cortical dynamics maintain complex learned motor sequences.

PMID: 42523469 PMCID: PMC13405279

 

 

 

Listener Ratings of Stuttering: Evaluating Two Auditory-Perceptual Scales - AVALIAÇÃO

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jan 8;69(1):108-122. Epub 2025 Dec 5.

Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12806039/pdf/JSLHR-69-108.pdf

 

Allison Johnson et al

University of Washington, Seattle.

 

Purpose: Stuttering is a motor speech difference characterized by a disruption in the fluency, timing, and rhythm of speech. There is a lack of agreement on how to reliably and efficiently assess stuttering in research and the clinic. This study aims to compare the validity and reliability of two types of auditory-perceptual scales, direct magnitude estimation and equal-appearing interval scales, on assessing stuttering in adult speakers.

Method: Two experiments compared unfamiliar listener ratings of speech samples from adults who stutter. Raters used one of two different rating scales to determine the construct validity and reliability of scaling procedures for capturing stuttering. The two experiments varied by the number and duration of samples (set number of syllables vs. set duration) and by the training given to participants (defining stuttering severity vs. allowing participants to define severity themselves).

Results: Both experiments demonstrated the appropriateness of both scales for rating stuttering.

Conclusions: Contrary to earlier studies, our findings indicated that a 7-point equal-appearing interval scale validly captured unfamiliar listeners' perception of stuttering severity. Future study is needed to determine the number of raters needed to provide stable ratings as well as the utility of average or single ratings to capture clinically relevant change.

PMID: 41348924 PMCID: PMC12806039

 

 

 

Listening to Saudi school-aged Children Who Stutter through drawing and talking - AVALIAÇÃO

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Jul 21:1-37. Online ahead of print.

 

Alhanouf Yosef Alhazimi et al

 

Introduction The perspectives of children who stutter (CWS) on their own talking experiences have received limited attention in the literature, particularly in non-Western contexts. This exploratory study examined the feasibility of using a drawing-and-talking approach to elicit Saudi CWS' perspectives on talking and of adapting an existing drawing protocol for Arabic and telepractice contexts. Methods Thirty CWS (26 boys, 4 girls) aged 6;0 to 10;11 years in Saudi Arabia completed the task, predominantly in online sessions. Children were invited to draw themselves talking to someone, to answer questions about their drawing, and to rate how they felt about talking. Analysis involved evaluating drawing maturity and meanings using Focal Point Analysis.

Results Children demonstrated sufficient drawing maturity for participation in the task. Explicit visual markers of talking and listening appeared in 16/30 drawings (53.3%), and many children described themselves as talking during the post-drawing discussion despite sparse visual cues in the drawings themselves. Drawings frequently foregrounded relationships and connection (83.3%) and were more often positive (56.7%) than negative (26.7%) or coded as no talking (13.3%). One child explicitly referenced stuttering; most depicted ordinary, enjoyable conversations. Only minor linguistic and procedural adaptations appeared necessary for use in Arabic across online and in-person contexts.

Conclusion This drawing-and-talking approach showed preliminary indications of feasibility in this sample, with high task completion and engagement suggesting the approach warrants further feasibility evaluation. It elicited child-centred information about talking partners, contexts, and experiences that may complement fluency-based assessment.

PMID: 42479653 DOI: 10.1159/000553615

 

 

 

Mental well-being, emotional-cognitive processing, and attention skills in individuals with cluttering - TAQUIFEMIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106184. Epub 2025 Nov 27.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000865?via%3Dihub

 

Yasmin Horev Nahum et al

Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.

 

Background: Cluttering is a fluency disorder marked by a rapid and irregular speech rate and articulation difficulties such as "slurred" speech and sound omissions. These speech disruptions reduce intelligibility and negatively impact communication. Treatment for individuals with cluttering typically focuses on improving their speech clarity and fluency. In contrast, while addressing speech disruptions, treatment for stuttering, a related fluency disorder, extends to include psychological and emotional aspects. This broader approach is based on research linking stuttering to mental health indicators such as depression, anxiety, and attention disorders, as well as to psychological flexibility. These emotional and psychological aspects and their associations remain underexplored in the context of cluttering.

Objective: To examine mental well-being, emotional-cognitive processing, and attention abilities in individuals with cluttering and to explore the relationships between these measures.

Method: Thirty-one adults diagnosed with cluttering completed questionnaires designed to assess mental well-being (i.e., anxiety, depression, somatic complaints), emotional-cognitive processing (alexithymia, psychological flexibility), and attention skills.

Results: High rates of anxiety symptoms, somatic complaints, reduced emotional-cognitive processing (high alexithymia), and attention difficulties were found among the study participants. Typical levels of psychological flexibility were observed. Alexithymia was associated with lower well-being.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that lower mental well-being levels and higher rates of alexithymia symptoms and attention difficulties characterize individuals with cluttering. Accordingly, we recommend including an assessment of these factors in cluttering diagnosis. In treating cluttering, similar to stuttering treatment, it is advisable to address emotional aspects, specifically by methods designed to enhance emotional-cognitive processing.

PMID: 41317412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106184

 

 

 

Mutism in a patient with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome - INFANTIL / AVALIAÇÃO

J Neuropsychol. 2026 Jul 29. Online ahead of print.

 

Mafalda Matias et al

Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal; Centro Hospitalar Barreiro-Montijo, Barreiro, Portugal.

 

A 5-year-old boy with a prior history of stuttering presented to the neuropaediatrics clinic with prominent motor and vocal tics, including intrusive syllables, was diagnosed with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS). One month later, near-complete mutism developed acutely, which improved progressively after treatment with risperidone. During the follow-up, motor and vocal tics fluctuated concurrently, but without clear-cut mutism. GTS encompasses a range of vocal tics, including vocal-blocking phenomena, which made us postulate that this case may represent an extreme expression of vocal blocking tics.

PMID: 42524840 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.70068

 

 

 

Neural subtypes in developmental stuttering - INFANTIL / NEUROCIÊNCIAS

BioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Mar 26:2026.03.25.714210.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13041834/pdf/nihpp-2026.03.25.714210v1.pdf

 

Sayan Nanda & Soo-Eun Chang et al

 

Developmental stuttering is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by disfluent speech. At the individual level, the behavioral manifestations of stuttering vary considerably, likely reflecting heterogeneity in underlying neural mechanisms. In this study, we examined individual-specific differences in the brains of children who stutter (CWS), by implementing normative modeling, a framework that quantifies how an individual deviates from an age- and sex-matched reference population. We applied this approach to identify individual-specific structural brain atypicalities using gray and white matter volumes. These volumes were derived from MRI scans from a large mixed-longitudinal dataset of 235 and 240 scans from CWS and fluent controls respectively, aged between 3 and 12 years. Individual deviation maps capturing these atypicalities were then used to cluster CWS into subtypes based on similarities in their neuroanatomical profiles. This analysis identified four neural subtypes with distinct neuroanatomical atypicalities relative to fluent controls. The key findings were a basal ganglia-thalamo-cerebellar subtype associated with higher stuttering severity and lower rates of recovery, and a white matter subtype characterized by mild severity and a higher likelihood of recovery. The remaining two subtypes showed cerebellar differences alongside alterations in brain regions involved in sensorimotor integration. Moreover, cerebellar volume atypicalities were present in all four subtypes, indicating that cerebellar alterations were present across otherwise distinct neural profiles and may represent a shared neuroanatomical feature of stuttering. These findings indicate that examining individual-specific neural differences and subtyping based on patterns of neural atypicalities provides valuable insight into the heterogeneity of developmental stuttering and represents a promising direction for improving our understanding of the disorder.

PMID: 41929116 PMCID: PMC13041834

 

 

 

Neuroethical evaluation of neuromodulation for stuttering: Implications for agency, identity, consent, and social meaning - TERAPIA

Review J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 21:88:106213. Online ahead of print.

 

Amir Hossein Rasoli Jokar & Robyn Bluhm

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.

 

Purpose: Neuromodulation techniques are increasingly investigated as adjuncts to behavioral interventions for stuttering. While empirical studies have examined effects on speech fluency, little attention has been given to the ethical implications of directly modulating neural systems involved in communication. This review applied a neuroethical framework to evaluate how neuromodulation for stuttering may affect communicative agency, identity and authenticity, informed consent and vulnerability, and the social meaning of stuttering.

Method: An integrative, conceptually guided review was conducted. Empirical studies of neuromodulation for developmental stuttering were identified through systematic database searches and analyzed alongside relevant neuroethics scholarship. Twenty neuromodulation studies were included. Ethical analysis was structured around four neuroethical domains.

Results: Ethical analysis indicated that neuromodulation may both support and complicate communicative agency, introduce challenges related to attribution and authorship of speech, influence self-concept and authenticity, and create distinctive consent vulnerabilities shaped by stigma and expectation. At a broader level, brain-based framings of stuttering risk reinforcing normalization pressures and deficit-oriented narratives if not carefully contextualized.

Conclusions: The ethical significance of neuromodulation for stuttering extends beyond speech outcomes alone. Evaluation of these interventions should attend not only to efficacy, but also to their implications for agency, identity, informed consent under conditions of vulnerability, and social meaning.

PMID: 41747303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106213

 

 

 

Nonword Repetition Assessment of Children Who Stutter: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Scoring Procedures - FALA

Review J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Feb 12;69(2). Epub 2026 Feb 2.

 

Esther Yeung & Peter Howell et al

University College London, United Kingdom; King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

Purpose: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the scoring procedures and methods used for assessing the performance of children who stutter (CWS) in nonword repetition (NWR) tests.

Method: Five computerized databases and gray literature/unpublished data were searched for eligible studies involving reports that compared NWR performance between CWS and children who do not stutter. Effect sizes across studies and sensitivity values of the different scoring procedures were obtained.

Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The findings showed that combined methods involving joint online and offline scoring and scoring procedures that calculated the percentage of number of words correct were as reliable as the more popular offline scoring procedure.

Conclusions: The clinical and social implications of using NWR tests to assess phonological processing in CWS are discussed. Recommendations are made concerning how future studies can improve the quality of procedures used in NWR testing.

PMID: 41628447 DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00206

 

 

 

Not So Simple, and Not So Fast: The Limits of Speech Rate and Turn-Taking Modifications for Treatment of Early Stuttering. A Response to Onslow et al. (2026) - INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jul 10:1-3. Online ahead of print.

 

Nan Bernstein Ratner

University of Maryland, College Park.

 

Purpose: We argue against suggestions for a new "two-factor" approach to early stuttering that counsels rate and turn-taking adjustments to child-directed parental speech.

Conclusion: We find that (a) the suggested approach is not new; (b) the limited pilot data are directly contradicted by a much larger scale, longer duration study published in this journal this year that shows no relationships between rate and turn-taking and recovery from stuttering; (c) rate and turn-taking adjustments may bring with them additional negative changes in parental speech; and (d) the proposed treatment continues to emphasize the role of parents in determining recovery from stuttering, a belief with insufficient evidence and which carries potential harm.
PMID: 42429770 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-26-00101

 

 

 

On the construction of the intersectional identity of LGBTQ people who stutter - CONCEITO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 3:88:106198. Online ahead of print.

 

James M Mancinelli

La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the processes involved in the construction of the intersectional identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people who stutter (LGBTQ+PWS). The study fills a gap in the literature between research on the social identity of people who stutter (Daniels & Gabel, 2004) and a description of the lived experiences of LGBTQ people who stutter (Daniels, Boyle, & Archer, 2023).

Methods: A hybrid qualitative approach combining Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Grounded Theory methodologies (GT) was used incorporating semi-structured interviewing for obtaining data (IPA and GT) and initial coding, focused coding, and theoretical coding (GT) were used for theory development. The results produced a core phenomenon of the intersectional identity and a theory on its construction.

Conclusions: Five categories emerged from focused coding in the domains of cognitive and affective effects during interactions, an awareness of the intersectional identity, individual, public, and structural stigmatization, authenticity and self-acceptance, and concealment and disclosure. Data analyses revealed the core phenomenon of the intersectional identity to be navigating social identities before, during, and after social and communicative interactions by managing information about themselves. The construction of the intersectional LGBTQ+PWS identity involves a dynamic interplay of identity salience, centrality, and situational negotiation, factors that are common to both marginalized groups. These processes are interactive in that one identity influences the visibility, management, and meaning of the other. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

PMID: 41719846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106198

 

 

 

Organizing Life Around Stuttering: A Qualitative Examination of Stuttering Through the Lens of Complex Trauma - EMOCIONAL

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Mar 10;35(2):600-620. Epub 2026 Feb 5.

 

Christopher Anderson et al

Washington, DC; Sisskin Stuttering Center, Vienna, VA; The University of Iowa, Iowa City.

 

Purpose: We examined the cognitive, emotional, and physiological experiences of adults who stutter (AWS) through a trauma lens. Specifically, we explored the cumulative effects of repeated exposures to stressful stuttering moments and the ensuing environmental reactions, hypothesizing that some AWS internalize these formative interpersonal experiences and develop complex trauma symptoms during childhood that they carry into adulthood.

Method: We conducted semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 AWS to understand their experiences from childhood into adulthood, across home, school, speech/language therapy, work, and social environments. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed via applied and reflexive thematic analyses to establish multilevel themes within a thematic network.

Results: Many AWS experienced singular and repetitive stressful moments from stuttering, which they reported as overwhelming experiences typically within close relationships. They often faced these experiences through their formative development, causing them to develop survival responses, negative self-beliefs, and meager social connections. These maladaptive responses reinforced a complex system of defenses over time to protect themselves as they came of age. A bias toward self-preservation prevented many of the AWS from building rich social lives. Over half of the participants described dissociative sensations from stuttering or others' negative reactions to it.

Conclusions: The themes align with established conceptualizations of complex trauma, lending credence to the limited evidence base that stuttering can yield trauma-related symptoms stemming from repeated overwhelming experiences within interpersonal contexts. These findings motivate future efforts to establish trauma-informed prevention and care for stutterers.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31173592.

PMID: 41642068 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00273

 

 

 

Oxytocin levels in children with childhood-onset fluency disorder - AVALIAÇÃO

Turk J Pediatr. 2025 Oct 6;67(6):885-891

Free article: https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/6132/3379

 

Erdoğan Özgür et al

Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Türkiye; Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Democracy University, İzmir, Türkiye.

 

Background: Evidence suggests a role for oxytocin in language development and cognitive functions in humans. However, there is a lack of research investigating the role of oxytocin in childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering). The aim of this study is to compare blood oxytocin levels between children diagnosed with stuttering and healthy controls.

Methods: Nineteen male children diagnosed with stuttering, aged between 6 and 11 years, and 27 typically fluent male children as a control group were included. All participants underwent psychiatric screening using the semi-structured interview The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version, and an ear, nose, throat examination. Serum oxytocin levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The median (Q1-Q3) blood oxytocin levels in the case group were 113.4 (90.19-136.3) pg/mL, while in the control group were 136.7 (105.4-203.7) pg/mL. A statistically significant lower level of oxytocin was observed in the case group compared to the control group (U=162, p=0.03).

Conclusions: We speculate a potential role of oxytocin in the etiology of developmental stuttering under the umbrella of neurodevelopmental disorders. The investigation of oxytocin, which plays a role in socialization and speech, in future studies on speech fluency disorders is intriguing in terms of its implications for clinical applications, including treatment.

PMID: 41636193 DOI: 10.24953/turkjpediatr.2025.6132

 

 

 

Perception of acoustically altered speech in adults who stutter: Preliminary findings using a Bayesian analysis approach - AUDITIVO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106172. Epub 2025 Nov 14.

 

Dhatri S Devaraju et al

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, USA; All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, Karnataka, India.

 

Background: Many factors contribute to stuttering, including phonological and temporal processing. Speech perception in challenging scenarios requires efficient temporal processing and differential weighting of the temporal envelope and fine-structure. Degrading the speech inputs would exert an additional demand on the phonological representations, storage, and retrieval, and may result in adverse effects on both speech perception and production in Adults who Stutter (AWS). This preliminary study examined how speech perception in AWS would vary in two different acoustically altered, degraded scenarios.

Methods: Twenty-two participants, eleven each in AWS and Adults who do not stutter (AWNS) groups, performed speech perception tasks in two degraded conditions: a) presence of noise, and b) chimerization. The SNR-50 in the noise condition and mean intelligibility score (number of correctly repeated keywords) in the chimerized condition were compared between AWS and AWNS. We used a Bayesian approach to statistically examine the differences in speech perception across the two groups.

Results: The results revealed poor speech perception in noise in AWS compared to AWNS. Perception of sentence chimeras, however, was similar in both groups.

Conclusions: The preliminary results suggest deficits in speech perception in noise, which might be due to temporal fine-structure perception problems in AWS, imposing additional demands on phonological processing and higher cognitive mechanisms. Altogether, these results from a pilot study warrant further investigations to address the effects of faulty auditory representations on day-to-day communication in AWS.

PMID: 41313922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106172

 

 

 

Phoneme Manner Types and Function and Content Words as Biomarkers for Different Types of Stutters in Speakers Who Continue to Stutter - SUPERFICIAL

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jan-Feb;61(1):e70195.

 

Peter Howell et al

University College London, London, UK.

 

Background / aims: This study addressed whether or not manner of phonemes at the onset of function and content words is linked to different types of stutter.

Methods & procedures: Sixty-six spontaneous speech samples from 22 participants (three recordings per participant) were employed. These were annotated with types of stutter (dependent variable), word type (function versus content). Phoneme manner at word onset was available in the transcriptions. The first analysis looked at associations between types of stutter and types of words. The second analysis looked at individual onset phoneme manner influences on types of stutter separately for function and content words. Both analyses employed multinomial logistic regression, obtained predictive probabilities and reported permutation tests to assess statistical significance, and robustness. A separate set of data was used to replicate the findings.

Outcomes & results: In analysis one, whole-word repetitions (WWRs) were predominantly associated with function words whereas the other types of stutter (prolongations, part-word repetitions, and word breaks, all of which mainly occur at word-onsets) were associated with content words. In analysis two WWRs on function words were mainly associated with vowel onsets. Prolongations, part-word repetitions and word breaks on content words were associated with several consonant manners at onset. The main patterns were that prolongations occurred with continuant manners (primarily fricatives) whereas part-word repetitions and breaks occurred mainly with obstruent manners (primarily voiceless plosives and affricates).

Conclusions and implications: WWR happen mainly on function words whereas the other types of stutter occur on initial parts of content words. The analysis protocol used in analysis two (target-and-type-maps) provides a framework for analysis of stuttering in languages that do not have separate function words and for distinguishing conditions that have some similarities to stuttering (e.g. word-finding difficulties).

PMID: 41560537 PMCID: PMC12820596 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70195

 

 

 

Phonological Processing Skills in Arabic-Speaking Children Who Stutter - INFANTIL / FALA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jul-Aug;61(4):e70294.

Free article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13370138/pdf/JLCD-61-0.pdf
 

Omayma Afsah & Hazem Alawadli2

Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

 

Background: Several experiments have investigated phonological encoding in children who stutter (CWS) using different phonological processing skills and yielded equivocal results. Studies examining phonological processing skills in Arabic-speaking CWS are scarce and focused on discrete tasks. The current study's aim was to (1) compare the performance of Egyptian Arabic-speaking CWS on a variety of phonological processing tasks to that of children who do not stutter (CWNS) in order to get a broad picture of children's phonological encoding skills and (2) examine the association of phonological processing deficits, if any, with stuttering severity.

Methods: This case-control study was executed on 92 monolingual Arabic-speaking Egyptian children between the ages of 4 years 6 months to 6 years 5 months, including 50 typically-developing children and 42 children diagnosed with stuttering. Phonological processing was evaluated in both groups using a battery of tests that included assessments of phonological awareness, memory, and retrieval.

Results and conclusion: Results revealed that Arabic-speaking CWS demonstrated significantly lower performance on all phonological processing skills than normally fluent children. However, such performance was not related to stuttering severity. Sex differences were detected where females demonstrated better performance than males. Phonological encoding deficits might be implicated in stuttering development. Evaluation of phonological processing skills should be integrated in the overall assessment of CWS.

PMID: 42452986 PMCID: PMC13370138 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70294

 

 

 

Predicting the impact of stuttering in the school years - INFANTIL / EMOCIONAL

Front Psychol. 2026 Apr 30:17:1782752. eCollection 2026.

 

Kurt Eggers & Sharon Millard

Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Thomas More University College, Antwerp, Belgium; Michael Palin Centre, London, United Kingdom.

 

Purpose: The goal of the current study was to identify factors contributing to the overall impact of stuttering, as measured by the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES) in older children who stutter. Prior research suggests temperament and emotional functioning may influence stuttering impact, whereas findings regarding overt stuttering severity have been inconsistent.

Method: Participants were 306 children who stutter (241 boys, 65 girls), aged 9;0-14;11 years old, referred to a specialist center for stuttering. Measures included the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire-Revised (EATQ-R), Stuttering Severity Instrument-4 (SSI-4), Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), and Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES). A multiple linear regression was conducted with OASES total score as the outcome and predictors including: SSI-4 total score, temperament dimensions (Surgency, Negative Affect, and Effortful Control), RCADS total score, age, and sex.

Results: Higher Surgency predicted lower stuttering impact, whereas higher Negative Affect, greater anxiety and depression symptoms, older age, and higher overt stuttering severity predicted greater impact. Effortful Control and sex were not significant predictors. Temperament and internalizing symptoms contributed independently to stuttering impact, beyond overt severity. Predictors operated largely independently within the multivariate model, with no evidence of strong interaction effects.

Conclusion: These findings add to the understanding of the factors that contribute to the impact that stuttering has on 9-14 year olds. The results indicate that the impact that stuttering has on a child can be predicted to some degree by their temperament, level of anxiety and depression, age and overt stuttering, but not sex. Future research is needed to identify/include other factors that may strengthen this predictive model, better understand how and why some children are more negatively impacted than others, and to inform clinical practice.

PMID: 42145530 PMCID: PMC13171361

 

 

 

Predictive Value of Mindfulness and Coping With Stress Styles on Depression, Anxiety and Stress Levels of Adults Who Stutter - TERAPIA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr;61(2):e70220.

 

İlkem Uçal & Ayşe İlayda Mutlu

Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey; Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.

 

Purpose: Increased depression, anxiety and stress symptoms are associated with reduced mindfulness levels and coping skills. This study primarily aimed to investigate (1) the relationships between mindfulness, coping styles, depression, anxiety and stress and (2) mindfulness and coping styles as predictors of depression, anxiety and stress in adults who stutter. A secondary aim was to compare mindfulness, coping styles, depression, anxiety and stress levels in adults who stutter according to stuttering severity.

Method: This exploratory study included 47 adults who stutter who completed a full online survey in Turkish to gather demographic information, mindfulness, coping styles, depression, anxiety and stress scores. Participants were interviewed remotely to assess their stuttering severity. The correlation and hierarchical regression analysis were applied.

Results: Significant positive relationships between depression and anxiety, depression and stress, and anxiety and stress scores were found. Mindfulness significantly explained 24.9% of the stress levels in adults who stutter, and helpless and submissive coping styles significantly explained 43.8% of the depression and 31.4% of the anxiety levels.

Conclusion: This study showed a correlation between elevated stress, anxiety and depression levels. Frequent use of passive coping mechanisms and lower mindfulness scores were found to be predictors of depression, anxiety and stress in adults who stutter.

PMID: 41784626 PMCID: PMC12962293 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70220

 

 

 

Psychometric Validation of a Spanish-Chilean Instrument for Assessing Public Attitudes Toward Childhood Stuttering: Construct Validity and Internal Consistency - SOCIAL

Children (Basel). 2026 Apr 3;13(4):506. doi: 10.3390/children13040506.

 

Yasna Sandoval et al

University of Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile.

 

Background/Objectives: Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder of speech fluency. It emerges most commonly between 2 and 5 years old, often causing social exclusion and stigma. In Latin America, cultural misconceptions regarding its causes exacerbate these psychosocial challenges. This study validated a culturally adapted instrument for Chile to measure public attitudes toward stuttering. The instrument provides a psychometrically sound method to assess and address stigma within educational and community settings.

Methods: A total of 756 Chilean adults (mean age = 36.7 years, SD = 15.8; 64% women, 36% men) were recruited using stratified probability sampling to reflect the national demographics. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. The subsection underwent rigorous cross-cultural adaptation (translation, expert review, cognitive debriefing n = 30, pre-testing n = 50). Analysis employed polychoric matrices, EFA, CFA with WLSMV, and multiple reliability/validity indices.

Results: Joint analysis showed poor fit (CFI = 0.72, RMSEA = 0.12), confirming independence. Beliefs (14 items): three-factor CFA fit excellent (CFI = 0.993, RMSEA = 0.034); factors: competence/normality (α = 0.85), psychological causes (α = 0.78), and help/support (α = 0.72). Reactions (11 items): four-factor fit adequate (CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.043); factors: distant concern (α = 0.82), personal concern (α = 0.79), media sources (α = 0.75), and formal sources (α = 0.77). Validity was supported; bifactor models favored multidimensionality. Conclusions: The adapted subsection is psychometrically robust and effectively captures Chilean-specific attitudes toward childhood stuttering. It provides a reliable tool for quantifying public stigma and misconceptions, particularly in educational and school contexts, thereby supporting the design of targeted school-based policies and interventions to reduce bullying, promote inclusion, and safeguard the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents who stutter.

PMID: 42073083 DOI: 10.3390/children13040506

 

 

 

Psychosocial Outcomes of School-Age Children Who Received the Lidcombe Program - TERAPIA

Clinical Trial Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 13;35(1):353-360. Epub 2025 Nov 25.

 

Georgina Johnson. Mark Onslow et al

The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.

 

Purpose: The present study aims to report on the psychosocial outcomes of children aged 6-12 years who did or did not respond to the Lidcombe Program.

Method: Thirty-seven 6- to 12-year-old children participated in a Phase II trial of the Lidcombe Program using video telehealth. Treatment progress was documented using stuttering severity ratings and three psychosocial outcome measures (Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering-School-Age Children, Communication Attitude Test, and Spence Children's Anxiety Scale). We examine the results of these psychosocial outcomes in relation to children who did and did not respond to the program.

Results: Significant improvements were observed across all psychosocial measures, irrespective of responsiveness group. Individual trajectories highlighted heterogeneity, but group data revealed statistically significant reductions in measures of stuttering impact, negative communication attitudes, and anxiety symptoms from pretreatment to 12 months posttreatment, with no evidence of differential effects between responsiveness groups.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that the Lidcombe Program may provide psychosocial benefits beyond stuttering reduction to some children, potentially through the therapeutic alliance fostered between clinicians, children, and families. The Lidcombe Program appears to be psychologically safe and may confer psychosocial advantages for school-age children who stutter, regardless of whether their stuttering partially reduced, stopped, or persisted. Future research should explore longer term maintenance of these psychosocial gains and conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of the Lidcombe Program relative to a control group.

PMID: 41289495 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00068

 

 

 

Public perceptions of stuttering in Jordan: An exploratory survey of community attitudes - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Apr 20:88:106219. Online ahead of print.

 

Mazin Alqhazo & Michael Blomgren

Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge about stuttering in the Jordanian community and the public attitudes that the Jordanians might have toward people who stutter.

Method: First, five non-stuttering speakers served as a focus group; they were interviewed in a qualitative, open-ended discussion to inform the design of a culturally appropriate questionnaire. Based on the participants' responses in the focus group and similar items used in the literature, a questionnaire was designed for the current study. The survey was administered to 240 non-stuttering speakers to assess their knowledge and attitudes about people who stutter.

Results: No significant interaction effect was observed between gender and either knowledge or attitudes toward people who stutter. Education, religiosity, and contact status did not significantly predict knowledge about stuttering. The greatest perceived difference between fluent speakers and people who stutter was in speaking ability. Education and religiosity were significantly associated with attitudes, with higher levels of both linked to more positive attitude scores The association with religiosity may reflect the influence of non-discriminatory religious principles in Islamic teachings that emphasize equality and compassion. Contact status and knowledge were not significant predictors of attitudes.

Conclusion: Findings reveal specific areas of limited knowledge and persistent negative attitudes toward stuttering in Jordan, while also highlighting the potential positive roles of education and religiosity. The study underscores the need for culturally tailored public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma.

PMID: 42030625 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106219

 

 

 

Quality of life in preschoolers who stutter and do not stutter: An exploratory study - AMBIENTE

Observational Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2025 Dec 31.

 

Erika Queiroga Werkhaizer Soares et al

Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

 

This study aimed to assess the quality of life of children aged 2-who stutter and who do not stutter. We compared the quality-of-life scores between the two groups and analysed the relationship between their scores and sociodemographic data. We conducted a cross-sectional observational analytical study utilising a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 74 children in the specified age range. Data were collected using structured interviews (sample characterisation script), the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria, and the Pediatric Questionnaire on Quality of Life (Generic Version 4.0). The Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4) was used to classify the severity of stuttering. The collected data underwent descriptive, associative, and multivariate analyses. Association analyses were conducted between the dimensions of quality of life and total quality of life and the variables socioeconomic background, age, gender, family history of recovered and persistent stuttering, maternal education, and child education, as well as between stuttering severity and quality of life scores. No significant association was found between quality of life and stuttering as perceived by parents. Additionally, no association was observed between stuttering severity and quality of life in children with a confirmed diagnosis of stuttering. Therefore, the impact of stuttering on the quality of life appears to be unrelated to the onset of symptoms but, more likely, to negative communicative experiences during its development.

PMID: 41494281 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106191

 

 

 

Reduced integrity in the frontal aslant tract's premotor connections is associated with dysfluency severity in stuttering - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

PNAS Nexus. 2026 Jul 17;5(7):pgag245.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13398998/pdf/pgag245.pdf

 

Maëva Michon et al

Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier, France; University College London, London, United Kingdom; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom; Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.

 

Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impaired speech production and substantial interindividual variability in symptom severity. Although neuroimaging studies have identified abnormalities in the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry, the specific white matter pathways that underpin dysfluent speech production remain poorly understood. Here, we focus on the frontal aslant tract (FAT), a dorsoventral intralobar tract connecting the superior and inferior frontal cortices and proposed to support both cognitive and motor functions. Using diffusion MRI, we first compared the quantitative anisotropy of the FAT and relevant control tracts in individuals who stutter (n = 30, mean age = 35.67, SD = 13.03) and fluent speakers (n = 22, mean age = 35.64, SD = 10.87) and observed no significant group-level differences in either hemisphere. To delineate the role of FAT subbundles in speech dysfluency, we then segmented the tract at its dorsal and ventral cortical terminations and assessed their relationships with stuttering severity (Stuttering Severity Instrument-Fourth Edition). We identified left FAT subbundles connecting the posteroventral frontal structures, particularly the rostroventral precentral gyrus and, to a lesser extent, the pars opercularis to a dorsal prefrontal region whose integrity predicts stuttering severity. The left-lateralized nature of these associations suggests that stuttering results, in part, from abnormal connectivity between prefrontal systems governing volitional control and the motor circuits engaged in speech production. Together, these findings refine current neurobiological models of stuttering by implicating frontofrontal white matter pathways underlying speech dysfluency and highlight a potential anatomical target for individualized therapeutic interventions.

PMID: 42499326 PMCID: PMC13398998 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgag245

 

 

 

Reframing Ableism in stuttering: advancing research, practice, and dialogue

Editorial J Commun Disord. 2026 Jun 15:106662. Online ahead of print.

Free text: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021992426000468?via%3Dihub

 

Kia N Johnson et al

The University of Texas at Austin, USA; Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 42409707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106662

 

 

 

Relationships between psychosocial aspects of stuttering and self-disclosure of stuttering in a Japanese sample - EMOCIONAL / TEMPERAMENTO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jun 19:89:106233. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000410?via%3Dihub

 

Daichi Iimura & Michael P Boyle et al

University of Tsukuba;  Tokyo Gakugei University; Faculty of Health and Welfare, Japan; Montclair State University, Bloomfield, NJ, United States.

 

Purpose: We aimed to psychometrically evaluate a Japanese version of the Disclosure of Stuttering Scale, from Boyle et al. (2018), and identify the psychosocial factors associated with level of stuttering self-disclosure among adults who stutter.

Methods: Adults who stutter were recruited via stuttering self-help groups in Japan and the authors' contacts. Participants completed their demographics, the Disclosure of Stuttering Scale and other psychological scales assessing affective, cognitive, and social aspects of stuttering via an online survey. We analyzed 180 participants after those with unreliable or duplicate responses were excluded. The scale's reliability and validity were confirmed, and multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to predict the score of the Disclosure of Stuttering Scale using demographic variables and psychological measures.

Results: The Japanese Disclosure of Stuttering Scale had good internal consistency (ω =.832) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient =.808), with no obvious ceiling or floor effects. Level of self-disclosure of stuttering was lower in the Japanese sample than in the United States sample (Cohen's d = 0.55) reported by Boyle et al. (2018). The regression model revealed that self-reported male gender, self-help group experience, higher self-acceptance, and lower self-stigma were associated with a higher self-disclosure level (adjusted R² =.347).

Conclusion: Our study indicated that self-reported gender and psychological and social (self-help experience) components were associated with the level of self-disclosure of stuttering. Furthermore, Japanese adults who stutter tended to report lower levels of self-disclosure compared to previous samples, which may reflect sociocultural differences.

PMID: 42349234 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106233

 

 

 

Response to Stuttering and neurodiversity: A question of ableism or anti-ableism? One central premise: The person who stutters. Martine Vanryckeghem, 2026

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Apr 17:88:106220. Online ahead of print.

 

Rosalee C Shenker

Stuttering Specialists Montreal, Canada.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 42034742 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106220

 

 

 

Response to the Letters by Chang and Bernstein Ratner - INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

Mark Onslow et al

University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales;

 

Purpose: In our original article, we draw attention to the lifetime quality-of-life impairment that can result from childhood stuttering-hence, the need for immediate intervention after onset. We drew on existing experimental outcomes that parent speech-rate reduction and increased interturn speaker latency may reduce stuttering. We developed a two-factor treatment protocol based on those variables in combination and showed its clinical viability, suggesting that it would be a suitable target for Phase I-IV clinical trials. Chang and Bernstein Ratner wrote letters to the editor on our article, to which we respond.

Conclusions: Our response to these letters to the editor covers the following issues raised by Chang and Bernstein Ratner: mechanisms of action for the proposed treatment, the evidence base for the treatment, plans to explore its treatment effects, and the need to verify its safety.

PMID: 42429772 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-26-00216

 

 

 

Risk factors and assessment methods for screening childhood-onset fluency disorders: a scoping review – INFANTIL / AVALIAÇÃO

Codas. 2026 Jul 6;38(4):e20250336.

[Article in Portuguese, English]

 

Mayra Maria Oliveira de Lima, Heloísa de Oliveira Dos Anjos, Thaíse Sara Costa Dias, Débora Vasconcelos Correia, Cristiane Moço Canhetti de Oliveira

Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP - Marília (SP), Brasil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Linguística, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB - João Pessoa (PB), Brasil.

 

Purpose: To map the state of the art regarding risk factors and assessment methods employed in the screening of fluency disorders in preschool children.

Research strategies: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The guiding question was: What are the risk factors and assessment methods used in the screening of fluency disorders (stuttering and cluttering) in preschoolers, as reported in the international literature? The PCC strategy guided the search, using MeSH descriptors and free terms across the Lilacs, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases, from 2020 to 2025, with no language restrictions.

Selection criteria: Original full-text articles addressing at least one research question were included. Exclusion criteria comprised non-scientific or secondary publications, studies without abstracts, those outside the conceptual or population scope, and those involving co-occurring disorders.

Data analysis: Data were analyzed descriptively and synthesized narratively.

Results: A total of 2,091 publications were identified; after duplicate removal and eligibility screening, 11 articles were included. No studies on risk factors for cluttering were found. For stuttering, 14 predictive risk factors were mapped, related to body functions and structures as well as contextual factors. Only two standardized screening tools were identified, both developed in Brazil: the Developmental Stuttering Risk Protocol and the Developmental Stuttering Screening Instrument.

Conclusion: Evidence on risk factors for cluttering in preschoolers is lacking. For stuttering, biological and contextual factors emerged as key predictors. Most available assessment methods are restricted to use by speech-language pathologists, highlighting gaps and opportunities for future research.

PMID: 42417821 PMCID: PMC13343792 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/e20250336pt

 

 

 

Self-disclosure of stuttering: A systematic review - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 8:88:106200. Online ahead of print.

 

Geoffrey A Coalson  & Courtney T Byrd et al

The University of Texas at Austin, USA; Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA.

 

Purpose: Self-disclosure of stuttering occurs when people who stutter (PWS) actively acknowledge to others that they stutter. Although the benefits of self-disclosure have been examined for three decades, several factors have been identified that may mediate its impact. The purpose of this study was to (a) conduct a systematic review of the literature on self-disclosure of stuttering, and (b) summarize the effects of self-disclosure to examine potential factors influencing its impact.

Method: A systematic review of studies examining self-disclosure of stuttering was conducted. Studies published before October 2023 were identified within two databases: (1) EBSCO, including Academic Search Complete, APA PsycINFO, Cinahl, Communication and Mass Media Complete, Education Source, ERIC, Medline; and (2) PubMed. Speaker- and observer-based outcome measures were examined with respect to six factors known or suspected to mediate the effects of self-disclosure: (1) gender of speaker/observer, (2) type of disclosure (i.e., apologetic, non-apologetic), (3) loci of disclosure, (4) age of speaker and/or observer, (5) frequency and/or severity of stuttering, and (6) familiarity with a person who stutters.

Results: A total of 18 quantitative studies were included in the systematic review. Findings indicate an overall favorable impact of self-disclosure (15 of 18 studies [83.3%]). Non-apologetic self-disclosure statements, when included as a condition, were viewed more favorably than apologetic and/or no disclosure (12 of 13 studies [92.3%]). Gender effects varied across studies. Loci, age, frequency/severity effects, and familiarity with a person who stutters were infrequently examined across studies.

Conclusions: Findings support PWS using non-apologetic self-disclosure to mitigate stereotype threat.

PMID: 41740507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106200

 

 

 

Sensorimotor dynamics differentiate singing and speaking - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

 bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Jan 30:2025.12.19.695607.

Full Text: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695607v2.full.pdf

This is a preprint.

 

Alexis L Pracar et al

University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA; University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; National Center for Adaptive Neurotechnologies, Albany,

 

 

Singing and speaking often dissociate clinically-people who stutter can sing fluently, and individuals with aphasia and speech output problems from stroke may express sentences fluently in song-yet the neural mechanisms of this centuries-old clinical phenomenon remain unclear. We recorded intracranial EEG while neurosurgical patients produced matched sentences by singing or speaking, sampling millimeter- and millisecond-scale activity across bilateral sensorimotor cortex (SMC). During articulation, high-frequency activity (70-150 Hz) lateralized oppositely across behaviors, with right-dominant SMC activation for singing and left-dominant activation for speaking. Mu-band (∼10 Hz) synchrony further differentiated the dynamics: speaking showed an early left-led pattern, whereas singing exhibited a ramping of synchrony within the left sensorimotor cortex and between the two motor cortices, supporting progressive interhemispheric recruitment. Frequency-domain Granger-Geweke causality revealed that the left primary somatosensory cortex drives both motor cortices at speech onset. In contrast in singing, control over motor cortices relied on both hemispheres. These results provide evidence that song and speech rely on dissociable sensorimotor dynamics. This bilaterally coordinated SMC pathway may enable preserved singing in individuals with impaired speech output.

PMID: 41659578 PMCID: PMC12873961

 

 

 

Severity-Coded Self-Disclosure Cues and Adult Listener Perceptions of an Adolescent Who Stutters: An Exploratory Study - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Jul 10:1-13. Online ahead of print.

 

Gregory Snyder, Katelyn Bounds

 

Introduction: Factual self-disclosure of stuttering is associated with more favorable listener perceptions. Whether the overt stuttering heard during a brief opening disclosure changes subsequent judgments of an adolescent speaker remains unclear.

Methods: In this nonrandomized between-groups video-vignette study, 778 adults viewed a 17-year-old male who stutters either without disclosure (n = 289) or after a factual self-disclosure cue containing mild (n = 143), moderate (n = 180), or severe (n = 166) overt stuttering. The same 2-min 34-s core speech sample followed every cue. Participants rated six speech skills and 10 personality characteristics. Primary ANCOVAs adjusted for age, sex, and academic or occupational focus; cumulative-logit ordinal models served as sensitivity analyses.

Results: Relative to no disclosure, all three disclosure-cue conditions received more favorable adjusted ratings of intelligibility, fluency, and ease of listening. Disclosure conditions also generally received lower perceived speech-related handicap ratings and were viewed as more relaxed, less fearful, more confident, more outgoing, and more competent. However, the unadjusted pattern suggesting that mild and severe cues outperformed moderate cues was not robust after covariate adjustment.

Conclusion: Across mild, moderate, and severe overt-stuttering disclosure conditions, adult listener ratings were more favorable than in the no-disclosure condition. These findings support factual self-disclosure as a clinically useful self-advocacy option for adolescents who stutter. Future controlled studies should examine whether listener responses vary according to disclosure severity, severity of the subsequent speech sample, and the extent to which those two severity levels correspond.

 

 

 

Social anxiety and life impact in adults who clutter and stutter: a comparative study with pure stuttering - EMOCIONAL

Front Psychol. 2026 May 28:17:1810425. eCollection 2026.

 

Shuta Tomisato et al

Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan; Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan; Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.

 

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently reported to coexist with stuttering; however, its occurrence in the context of cluttering remains largely unexplored. This study determined whether SAD co-occurs in individuals with disfluency after differentiating those with cluttering with stuttering from those with stuttering alone. Forty participants aged ≥18 years with a chief complaint of stuttering-like disfluencies (SDF) were included. Based on established criteria, participants were categorized into two groups: cluttering with stuttering (n = 14) and stuttering alone (n = 26). All participants completed Japanese versions of the following: Modified Erickson Communication Attitude Scale (S-24-J), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-J), Brief Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering Scale (UTBAS-6-J), and Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering for Adults (OASES-A-J). Although mean scores on the LSAS-J and other questionnaires did not differ significantly between the groups, correlational analyses revealed distinct psychological profiles. A significant correlation between SDF frequency and OASES-A-J Section 1 scores was observed only in the stuttering-alone group. These findings indicate that while SAD can co-occur in both groups, the relationships between objective severity, communication passivity, and nonadaptive cognition differ. This underscores the distinct clinical natures of cluttering with stuttering and pure stuttering, highlighting the need for a nuanced, tailored approach to their assessment and clinical management.

PMID: 42293895 PMCID: PMC13253759

 

 

 

Social-Emotional Development of Young Children Who Stutter: An Overview of Empirical Studies - INFANTIL / EMOCIONAL

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jul 13:1-19. Online ahead of print.

 

Jokar AHR & Yaruss JS et al

Michigan State University, East Lansing.

 

Purpose: Developmental stuttering typically emerges between 2.5 and 6 years, the period during which emotion processes, peer competence, and self-system processes also become more consolidated. This scoping review synthesized evidence on how social-emotional development (SED) intersects with stuttering in early childhood and how the literature conceptualizes their associations.

Method: Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews, PubMed, APA PsycInfo, Scopus, ERIC, and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed studies published in English (2000-June 2025) that included majority of children ≈2-6 years of age who stutter and measured at least one SED domain. Thirty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were charted and narratively synthesized across three domains: emotion processes, social competence, and self-system processes.

Results: In general, the review of empirical studies indicated that preschool-age children who stutter showed greater emotional reactivity and weaker regulation across neurophysiological, behavioral, and caregiver reports. Early childhood stuttering was also associated with risks of social withdrawal, victimization, and school adjustment challenges, despite often-intact prosocial skills. Likewise, the review indicated that preschoolers also demonstrated earlier, more negative communication attitudes, although overall self-concept is typically comparable to that of peers who do not stutter. Reviewed evidence appeared to support bidirectional associations. That is, arousal and social stress may exacerbate disfluency, and stuttering experiences may intensify negative affect and reticence.

Conclusions: Assessments should consider pairing stuttering behavior metrics with brief, developmentally appropriate SED measures when there are concerns about a child's social-emotional functioning. Any subsequent intervention, therefore, should target both stuttering behaviors and SED difficulties.

PMID: 42441831 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00886

 

 

 

Speaking face-to-face with a virtual avatar to reduce anxiety in students who stutter: Tool development and pilot study results - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Randomized Controlled Trial J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000021?via%3Dihub

 

Mathieu Delangle et al

University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada; Université de Liège, Belgium; École de Technologie Supérieure, Montréal, Canada; Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada; Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, Canada;

 

Purpose: Speaking in class is challenging for students who stutter. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure in virtual reality (VR) emerges as a promising intervention for treating speaking anxiety in pediatric populations. This pilot study tested if real-time avatar-based VR can elicit anxiety responses while remaining acceptable to youth who stutter.

Method: Twelve students who stutter (aged 9-18) were randomly assigned to a single training session conducted either (1) in VR with a realistic avatar controlled live by their SLP, or (2) in role-play with their SLP, before facing a real actor. We assessed system acceptability, anxiety levels and perceived self-efficacy.

Results: The VR system was well accepted and elicited physiological arousal comparable to real-life interactions. Although participants reported experiencing less anxiety during VR, skin conductance level showed higher arousal; suggesting a divergence between the subjective report and physiological response. Finally, one training session (either in VR or with the SLP) did not produce gains in self-efficacy or decrease in anxiety related to the final real-actor conversation.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates evidence that the potential use of immersive VR could represent an acceptable and viable complementary strategy for SLP treatment, that could control exposure parameters while evoking physiological responses similar to real-life contexts. The differences between subjective and physiological measures suggest that VR is inducing anxiety responses differently than it was perceived. Further research could investigate the use of VR as anxiety interventions for students who stutter and should be explored across multi-session studies to understand their therapeutic effect.

PMID: 41579638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106194

 

 

 

Speech and Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease, Essential Tremor, and Dystonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

Review Mov Disord. 2026 Apr 30. Online ahead of print.

Free text: https://movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/mds.70322 

 

Elina Tripoliti et al

Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan; University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland; University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Mass General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

 

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) effectively treats motor symptoms in movement disorders but often compromises speech through incompletely defined mechanisms. We conducted a PROSPERO-registered systematic review and meta-analysis of publications through August 2024 (CRD42024527738). Among 2726 screened records, we included 184 studies: 131 in Parkinson's disease (PD), 32 in essential tremor (ET), and 21 in dystonia, assessing perceptual, acoustic, and patient-reported speech outcomes. Meta-analyses showed that subthalamic nucleus DBS in PD resulted in poorer speech intelligibility compared with best medical treatment (effect size -0.24; 95% confidence interval: -0.46 to -0.03; P = 0.027), with state-dependent decline under active stimulation on longitudinal analysis (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III item 18 monthly change: medication on +0.016, P < 0.001; medication off +0.002, P = 0.50). In ET, DBS consistently suppressed vocal tremor but increased the risk of dysarthria, particularly with bilateral stimulation. Dystonia outcomes showed greater heterogeneity. Across disorders, sustained phonation measures improved, whereas connected speech performance worsened, indicating selective vulnerability of complex motor tasks. Neuroanatomical mapping identified two nonexclusive mechanisms: current spread to corticobulbar fibers producing spastic speech features and to the cerebellothalamocortical pathway producing ataxic features. Hypokinetic and stuttering-like phenotypes also occurred but likely reflect network-level interactions rather than tract-specific spread. These tract-mediated and network-level alterations appear to interact with hemispheric lateralization, medication state, and longer-term plasticity to produce complex clinical phenotypes. We outline a clinical framework integrating systematic screening, phenotype identification, and targeted programming adjustments. Enhanced speech assessment, precise field mapping, and adaptive DBS paradigms may promote individualized care that optimizes speech and motor function in precision DBS therapy. 

PMID: 42059110 DOI: 10.1002/mds.70322

 

 

 

Speech Motor Deficits in Developmental Stuttering and Parkinson's Disease: From Cellular and Circuit to Network-Level Disruptions - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Review Eur J Neurosci. 2026 Feb;63(3):e70393. doi: 10.1111/ejn.70393.

 

Ariana Z Turk et al

Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA; Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA; Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; University of Reading, Reading, UK.

 

Speech dysfluency occurs across multiple motor disorders to varying degrees, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Like locomotion, speech production is relies on basal ganglia circuits, and disruptions in these pathways can lead to varied symptomatic presentations. In this perspective, we discuss evidence from cellular, circuit and network-level studies to highlight shared and disorder-specific mechanisms of speech dysfluency in Parkinson's disease and developmental stuttering. Basal ganglia function and dopaminergic modulation are central to both disorders, while cortical and brainstem microcircuits remain crucial; emerging evidence also implicates astrocytes and inflammatory processes in these conditions. By integrating these multiscale insights, we aim to provide a conceptual framework that explains the mechanistic basis of speech dysfluency in Parkinson's disease and developmental stuttering and identifies avenues for future research and possible therapeutic interventions.

PMID: 41638906 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.70393

 

 

 

Spontaneous and internet-informed parent responses to early stuttering - INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 1:88:106199. Online ahead of print.

 

Georgina Johnson; Mark Onslowe et al

University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Stuttering Specialists Montreal, Quebec, Canada; University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia.

 

Purpose: Understanding initial parent responses to early stuttering provides a foundation to build a strong therapeutic alliance, and promotes shared decision-making during intervention, allowing for tailored education and support. In a digital age where health-related decision-making often begins with an internet search, it is important to understand how it might influence their initial responses. Therefore, this study explored how access to internet-based information may influence parent responses to childhood stuttering onset. This helps clinicians to understand knowledge and beliefs parents may bring to initial clinical consultations.

Method: Participants were parents of 2-4-year-olds who did not stutter, and who had no prior experience of stuttering. They were given information about early stuttering and shown five video clips depicting varying degrees of stuttering severity in preschool-age children. They were asked to reflect on five actions they would take if their child began to stutter. These actions were guided by either internet searches or relied on intuition alone. A reflexive thematic analysis was used to examine and interpret patterns in these parent responses.

Conclusions: Compared to parents in the spontaneous response group, internet-informed parents more frequently described self-modification, with adjustments to their own speech and a "wait-and-see" approach. In contrast, spontaneous parent responses more often described speech-focused strategies directed at the child. Results provide insights that inform speech-language pathology practices by helping clinicians (a) align treatment planning with parent perspectives, (b) correct misinformation, and (c) foster stronger therapeutic alliances from the outset.

PMID: 41655560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106199

 

 

 

Student perceptions of three online simulation-based learning experiences embedded within graduate stuttering coursework - OUTRAS ÁREAS

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 9:1-11. Online ahead of print.

 

Katherine Day & Cara M Singer

Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.

 

Background: Simulated patients have long been used across various healthcare professions. Research over the past 15 years supports the inclusion of simulation-based learning experiences to train graduate speech-language pathology students to work with various populations. This study explored students' perceptions of three online simulation-based learning experiences within a graduate stuttering course, in which simulated patients portrayed either a caregiver of pre-school-age children who stutter or an adult who stutters.

Method: Two consecutive cohorts of graduate speech-language pathology students enrolled in a stuttering course were recruited to share their perceptions of their simulation-based learning experiences. All three simulations were developed by the instructor and the university's Interprofessional Simulation Centre. The simulations were delivered online (via Zoom) to pairs of students. Students completed five surveys via REDCap, namely, a demographic survey, a survey following each simulation, and a post-experience survey. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric associations and comparisons for student perceptions were conducted.

Result: Twenty-eight students out of 88 eligible students (32% participation) completed the surveys. Survey responses indicated positive experiences for all three simulations and improved students' comfortability when working with similar clients in the future. Simulation realism and student preparedness positively correlated with improved confidence.

Conclusion: Findings support the value of online simulation-based learning experiences with standardised patients within graduate speech-language pathology courses that target working with caregivers of pre-school-aged who stutter and assessing and providing treatment to adults who stutter. Students reported feeling more comfortable about working with similar clients in the future.

PMID: 41514487 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2025.2608349

 

 

 

Stuttering and career: Shaping professional paths amid restrictions - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jun 25:89:106234. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000422?via%3Dihub

 

Johanna Nissinen et al

Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.

 

Purpose: Stuttering can significantly influence individuals' career trajectories through mechanisms such as role entrapment, occupational segregation, job dissatisfaction, and stigma-based discrimination. In professional contexts where verbal fluency is narrowly defined and highly valued, people who stutter (PWS) may face systemic barriers. This study examines how PWS experience, interpret, and negotiate the role of stuttering in recruitment processes, career choices, job roles and opportunities for advancement.

Method: An online survey and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) were used to examine responses from 45 Finnish-speaking adults who stutter and have work experience.

Results: Participants described restrictive workplace speech norms and expectations of fluency as key constraints that generated cognitive and emotional load. Many reported that stuttering had influenced their career pathways, including not entering preferred fields, although its perceived influence on occupational choices had lessened over time. Speaking-intensive tasks-such as phone work, presentations, and spontaneous verbal interaction-were identified as the most challenging. Fluent speakers were often perceived as gatekeepers who informally determined which roles were considered suitable for PWS, though some participants also self-restricted their job tasks. Experiences were highly situational, and a minority reported positive or empowering aspects of stuttering at work.

Conclusion: The study concludes that discrimination often stems not from actual ability but from biased expectations and rigid norms surrounding fluent speech. These norms delay access to preferred professions and constrain career development. Promoting inclusion requires challenging dominant communication standards and recognizing diverse communicative competencies. Enhancing awareness and visibility of PWS in professional environments is essential for systemic change.

PMID: 42379115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106234

 

 

 

Stuttering and cyberbullying: A qualitative exploration on challenges faced in the digital world and coping strategies - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 28:88:106214. Online ahead of print.

 

Derya Çavdar et al

Üsküdar University, Türkiye; Biruni University, Türkiye.

 

Purpose: This study investigates the social media use and cyberbullying experiences of people who stutter (PWS) and examines how these factors shape their online behavior, responses and coping strategies.

Methods: Thirteen PWS (ages 16-26, M=22.07; 11 males, 2 females) participated in individual, online, semi-structured interviews. Participants reported using social media for an average of at least two hours per day. Data were analyzed thematically using MAXQDA through both inductive and deductive coding approaches.

Results: Results identified six key themes related to online self-disclosure, the impact of stuttering on social media use, cyberbullying experiences and expectations, reactions to cyberbullying, perceived causes of cyberbullying and individual and societal strategies to address cyberbullying. Many participants (8 out of 13) disclosed through messages or posts and generally received positive feedback while also reporting concerns about cyberbullying and indirect exposure. Stuttering constrained active participation and led participants to engage in more deliberate planning and to prefer safer, more passive forms of interaction. Coping strategies ranged from avoidance to active self-protection and seeking social support. Participants reported emotional and behavioral reactions that were attributed to social stigmatization, online anonymity and limited opportunities for self-advocacy. Proposed solutions included enhanced privacy management, increased public awareness and the implementation of technological safeguards.

Conclusion: Social media can provide opportunities for support and self-expression but avoidance behaviors, passive use and the risk of cyberbullying may diminish these benefits. The findings of this study suggest that therapeutic support and technological improvements are necessary to enhance digital safety and promote more active and confident online participation among PWS.

PMID: 41780462 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106214

 

 

 

Stuttering and neurodiversity: A question of ableism or anti-ableism? One central premise: The person who stutters - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106188. Epub 2025 Dec 12.

 

Martine Vanryckeghem

University of Central Florida, Orlando, United States.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this position statement is to lay the foundation for an open-minded discourse by embracing neurodiversity in assessment and treatment of the person who stutters and to bring attention to the central premise: the person who stutters.

Method: A reflection on recent publications and conference presentations that discuss an unnuanced and narrow-minded ableist versus anti-ableist approach to the assessment and treatment of people who stutter. Many of those are not data-bound and lead to confusion and a perception of professional failure, certainly among junior speech-language pathologists.

Conclusions: This is an appeal for a discussion of what is being portrayed as opposing approaches to the clinical management of people who stutter. Starting with a solid operational definition, an open-minded discourse needs to take place aiming for a balanced, client-centered approach that respects the aspiration of the individual who stutters and supports their self-defined goals. This is an appeal to reclaim the middle ground where acceptance and change are not mutually exclusive, and therapeutic practice is guided by autonomy, inclusivity, and shared decision-making.

PMID: 41406587 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106188

 

 

 

Stuttering in the classroom: An exploration of Australian teachers' attitudes - INFANTIL / SOCIAL

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jun 2:1-15. Online ahead of print.

 

Meryl Lefort & Kenneth O St Louis et al

La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia;West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.

 

Purpose: This study investigates Australian primary school teachers' attitudes towards stuttering. While international research exists, there is limited data from this population in an Australian context.

Method: A total of 174 primary school teachers in Victoria, Australia, completed an online version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attitudes-Stuttering (POSHA-S). Responses were compared with international and Australian population data from the POSHA-S database.

Result: Australian teachers demonstrated significantly more favourable attitudes and greater self-awareness about stuttering than both the general Australian population and most international POSHA-S samples. Their mean Overall Stuttering Score was 37 (91st percentile), significantly higher than the general population (p =.004) with a large effect size (d = 0.78). Compared to the Australian public, teachers reported greater comfort, reduced pity and fewer misconceptions, although knowledge gaps persisted. Informal sources of information about stuttering, such as the media and the internet, were commonly cited information channels. Teachers recognised the role of speech-language pathologists in supporting people who stutter.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for targeted professional development for primary school teachers to align positive attitudes with evidence-based knowledge. This study also lays the groundwork for future qualitative research into how teachers support students who stutter.

PMID: 42228604 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2026.2671404

 

 

 

 

Stuttering representation on Arabic-language Instagram: Who speaks and what gains visibility - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jun 9:89:106232. Online ahead of print.

 

Hisham Adem

Al-Akhawayn University (AUI), Morocco

 

Background: Social media platforms play an increasing role in how stuttering is represented in public discourse. In Arabic-speaking contexts, little is known about the stuttering-related content available online, including who produces it, what types of advice circulate, and how engagement differs across sources. This study examined Arabic-language stuttering discourse on Instagram, focusing on associations among source identity, advice type, and post-level engagement (likes and comments).

Methods: A structured content analysis was conducted on 500 Arabic-language Instagram posts related to stuttering collected over seven months. Posts were coded for source identity, advice type, and valence. Associations between source identity, advice type, and engagement (likes and comments) were modeled using logistic and negative binomial regression. Qualitative contextual coding was used to interpret recurrent narrative patterns underlying quantitative associations. Intercoder reliability was assessed using Krippendorff's alpha, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of model estimates.

Results: Non-clinical sources, including special educators and digital content creators, produced the majority of posts (77.4%). Advice type varied significantly by source identity, χ²(8, N = 500) = 102.81, p < .001, Cramér's V = .45, with several non-clinical sources showing substantially higher odds of posting non-evidence-based advice (e.g., AORs ≈ 4.9-7.2). Engagement also differed by source and advice type. Non-evidence-based posts were associated with higher rates of likes (RR = 1.46, p = .004) and comments (RR = 1.39, p = .027), with the highest engagement observed for non-evidence-based posts authored by digital creators. Intercoder reliability ranged from Krippendorff's α = .72-.88 across coded variables. Qualitative contextual coding identified recurring narrative patterns centered on self-acceptance, perseverance, and claims of fluency change, alongside content with varying alignment with clinical perspectives.

Conclusions: Arabic-language Instagram reflects a discourse environment in which stuttering-related information is produced largely by non-clinical sources and engagement does not consistently correspond to clinical expertise. Visibility appears influenced by content characteristics, structural and cultural contexts, and platform dynamics. These findings point to a hybrid credibility system in which professional and experiential perspectives intersect and highlight considerations for digital health communication about stuttering in Arabic-speaking contexts. They also contribute to broader discussions of how health-related information circulates within digital environments.

PMID: 42276025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106232

 

 

 

Supplementary motor area: A promising neurostimulation target to improve speech production - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Review J Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr:120:106630. Epub 2026 Feb 7.

 

Fatemeh Tabari & Karim Johari

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.

 

The supplementary motor area (SMA) works in concert with several cortical and subcortical regions to produce speech in a timely, accurate, and fluent manner. Despite the SMA's critical role in speech motor control, it has been inadequately addressed in neurostimulation studies, and its exact mechanism remains unexplored. We investigated the SMA's function through the lenses of various theoretical models, as well as lesion and neuroimaging studies. This review synthesizes the current evidence on the potential of SMA-targeted non-invasive neurostimulation techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), and high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS). Current evidence supports the integrative role of the SMA in coordinating planning-related and sensory-guided aspects of speech motor control and demonstrates that both excitatory and inhibitory stimulation of the SMA modulate speech-related processes, including motor planning, temporal coordination, auditory-vocal integration, and vocal compensation, in healthy individuals and clinical populations, particularly those with Parkinson's disease and stuttering. Collectively, the SMA holds promise for improving speech motor function and motivates future studies using diverse stimulation techniques and speech production tasks to inform therapeutic applications.

PMID: 41691719 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106630

 

 

 

Telepractice resilience training for children who stutter: A single-arm pre-post feasibility study - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Apr 4:88:106216. Online ahead of print.

 

Gregory J Snyder & Emily Williams Thornton

University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA.

 

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary clinical signals of a 12-session resilience program delivered via telepractice for children who stutter (CWS), with emphasis on resilience and stuttering-related impact.

Method: A single-arm pre-post pilot/feasibility study was conducted with six CWS and caregivers. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, retention, procedural viability, and acceptability. Primary outcomes were Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised (CYRM-R) total score and Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering-School-Age (OASES-S) total impact score. Secondary outcomes were Stuttering Severity Instrument-Fourth Edition (SSI-4) scores and percent stuttered syllables (%SS).

Results: Feasibility benchmarks were met, including 83% retention (5/6), smooth synchronous delivery, and high caregiver acceptability. CYRM-R scores increased at the group level (median 67 pre, 76 post; median paired change +8.5; exact p = .156; rank-biserial r ≈ 0.71), with 4/6 participants exceeding a distribution-based threshold (≥0.5 SD) for meaningful improvement. OASES-S total impact showed no group-level median change (exact p = .157); 2/5 improved meaningfully and 3/5 were stable. Exploratory domain analyses showed the largest standardized improvement in Section III, Communication in Daily Situations (r ≈ -0.77; exact p = .083). SSI-4 outcomes showed small, non-significant declines, consistent with a resilience-focused rather than fluency-focused program.

Conclusions: Telepractice-delivered resilience training for CWS was feasible and acceptable. Outcomes were directionally consistent with increased resilience and possible improvement in daily communication impact. These preliminary findings support a larger controlled trial.

PMID: 41946067 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106216

 

 

 

"Temperament and Early Stuttering Development: Cross-Sectional Findings From a Community Cohort" - Erratum - INFANTIL / EMOCIONAL

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jul 10:1. Online ahead of print.

Free text: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42429739/

 

No authors listed

 

No abstract available

PMID: 42429739 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-26-00316

 

 

 

Temperament Profiles and Their Association With Stuttering-Related Outcomes in a Clinical Cohort - EMOCIONAL

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jun 18:1-21. Online ahead of print.

 

Iris Heselmans & Elaine Kelman et al

Ghent University, Belgium; Michael Palin Centre, London, United Kingdom; Thomas More University College, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

Purpose: Previous research on temperament in developmental stuttering has primarily treated emotional reactivity and self-regulation as separate constructs. Examining their interaction is likely to yield more comprehensive insights into their joint influence on stuttering-related outcomes. Therefore, this study examined how the interplay between emotional reactivity and self-regulation is reflected in differences in stuttering severity, speech attitude, levels of anxiety and depression, and the impact of stuttering.

Method: A total of 322 younger (ages 3-8 years) and 468 older children (ages 9-15 years) who stutter were categorized into four temperament profiles based on dichotomization at the midpoint of scale scores for emotional reactivity and self-regulation, as reported in a parental temperament questionnaire. For younger children, an additional dichotomization was applied using U.K. population mean score. This procedure was conducted separately for positive and negative reactivity, each in relation to self-regulation, yielding four distinct temperament profiles per reactivity type (i.e., higher/lower reactivity × higher/lower self-regulation). Between-groups differences were investigated for stuttering severity, stuttering impact, speech attitude, and the level of anxiety/depression.

Results: There were no differences between the temperamental profiles and the differing measures in young children using the scale midpoint dichotomization method. However, when using U.K. population mean dichotomization, temperament profiles continued to show no associations with stuttering severity or speech attitude but did reveal significant differences in stuttering impact, indicating that lower positive reactivity combined with lower self-regulation is linked to greater perceived impact among younger children who stutter. Older children and teens with higher positive reactivity and higher self-regulation had less impact, anxiety, and depression, whereas those with higher positive reactivity and lower self-regulation had a lower overt stuttering severity compared to most other temperament profiles; higher negative reactivity in combination with lower self-regulation was related to more impact compared to most other temperament profiles.

Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the interaction between reactivity and self-regulation and the relationship with several stuttering-related factors. These results suggest that the interplay between emotional reactivity and self-regulation does not appear to impact stuttering outcomes in early childhood but does during late childhood and early adolescence. The findings suggest that having higher positive reactivity and higher self-regulation temperamental profile has a protective role for older children in terms of their stuttering experience and that higher positive reactivity may serve as a protective factor for reduced self-regulatory abilities. Those who obtained higher negative reactivity scores experienced a greater impact of stuttering when this is combined with lower self-regulation, again suggesting that self-regulation exerts a protective role. These differences offer a clearer basis for understanding variability in the stuttering experience and provide insight into those children who may be at greater risk of an adverse experience.

PMID: 42314220 DOI: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00653

 

 

 

Temporal patterns in articulation underlying repetitions, prolongations and blocks - FALA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 May 23:88:106224. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X2600032X?via%3Dihub

 

Yijing Lu et al

University of Potsdam, Germany; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; City University of New York, New York, NY, United States.

 

Purpose: Repetitions, prolongations, and blocks, as canonical categories of stuttering disfluencies, have long been characterized on auditory-perceptual grounds, while the articulatory behaviors giving rise to them remain poorly understood. This study investigates the articulatory basis of these disfluencies, and assesses how the underlying articulatory patterns relate to perceptual disfluency types (i.e., repetitions, prolongations, blocks) and the phonological features of stuttered segments.

Method: Speech production of seven adults who stutter was recorded using real-time MRI. We extracted the time-varying constriction trajectories of the primary oral articulator for stuttered tokens of labial, alveolar, and velar consonants, as well as the constriction trajectories of the velum. K-medoids clustering with dynamic time warping distance was used to identify recurrent patterns.

Results: Two constriction patterns of the primary oral articulator were observed consistently across participants: fixation, characterized by an extended constriction period, and oscillation, characterized by repeated constriction-release cycles. Velic constriction trajectories did not show stuttering-related patterns but simply reflected the nasality of the stuttered segment. The mapping between articulatory constriction patterns and perceptual disfluency types was many-to-one and one-to-many. Crucially, this mapping was influenced by the manner of the stuttered segment.

Conclusion: State stuttering is characterized by two stable articulatory patterns: fixation and oscillation of the primary oral articulator. Their mappings to perceptual disfluency types are not in a simple one-to-one correspondence and also depend on the phonological task being executed. These findings point to a principled organization in the articulation of stuttering, enriching our understanding of the phenomenon beyond its perceptual surface.

PMID: 42208163 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106224

 

 

 

The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy-based practices on social anxiety and stuttering severity in children who stutter - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106192. Epub 2025 Dec 31.

 

Sabri Toğluk  & Yahya Aktu

Siirt University, Siirt, Türkiye.

 

Purpose: Children who stutter (CWS) often face communication challenges in social settings, which may lead to increased social anxiety and exacerbate stuttering severity. This pilot study examines the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions in reducing social anxiety and stuttering severity among CWS.

Methods: This pilot study employed a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design without a control group. Seventeen children aged 7-12 from a low socioeconomic area in Southeastern Türkiye participated in an eight-week CBT-based program that included cognitive restructuring, exposure tasks, and homework. Data were analyzed using Linear Mixed Effects Models (LMM), with CBT intervention defined as a fixed effect and individual variation as a random effect. Separate LMM analyses were conducted for social anxiety and stuttering severity.

Results: The LMM results revealed statistically significant reductions in both social anxiety and stuttering severity following the CBT-based intervention. Baseline levels of social anxiety and stuttering severity significantly predicted follow up outcomes, and the intervention led to meaningful decreases across both measures.

Conclusion: As a pilot study, these results highlight the potential of CBT-based interventions to reduce both social anxiety and stuttering severity in CWS. These results point to the potential utility of individualized early intervention strategies, including psychiatric nursing practices, within clinical and educational contexts to address the multifaceted nature of developmental stuttering.

PMID: 41483641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106192

 

 

 

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on reading adaptation in adults who stutter - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Randomized Controlled Trial J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

 

Narges Moein; Luc De Nil et al

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Hospital for Sick Children,  Toronto, ON, Canada.

 

Background: The reading adaptation effect in stuttering refers to decreased stuttering frequency during repeated readings. This study investigated whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left primary motor cortex (M1) enhances reading adaptation in adults who stutter.

Methods: Two consecutive studies were conducted. Study 1 was a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial with twenty adults who stutter (14 males, 6 females) assigned to either an anodal tDCS (2 mA, 20 min) or a sham stimulation group. Participants read a passage five times during stimulation. Study 2 was an exploratory secondary single-case analysis of data from six participants (5 males, 1 female) who demonstrated measurable stuttering during reading (>1 % syllables stuttered) in Study 1. Reading adaptation was quantified as percentage reduction in stuttering frequency from first to fifth reading trial.

Results: Study 1 showed no statistically significant difference in reading adaptation between anodal and sham groups (Mann-Whitney U = 30, p = 0.137), though a moderate effect size (r = 0.34) suggested a potentially meaningful difference. Study 2 revealed variable individual responses, with three participants showing greater reading adaptation under anodal stimulation and three showing greater adaptation under sham stimulation.

Conclusions: Anodal tDCS over the left M1 did not consistently enhance reading adaptation in adults who stutter, suggesting that the relationship between M1 excitability and reading adaptation is more complex than hypothesized. Future research should investigate alternative neural targets, stimulation parameters, and individual differences in stuttering severity to better understand the effects of neuromodulation on speech motor adaptation in speech disorders.

PMID: 41548453 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106195

 

 

 

The Influence of Language Dominance, Type of Language, and Narrative Task on Speech Disfluencies in Typically Fluent Bilingual English-Mandarin Children - LINGUAGEM

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Mar 24:1-19. Online ahead of print.

 

Valerie P C Lim et al

Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore, Singapore;, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; Stuttering Specialists Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada; iTalk Speech Therapy, Singapore, Singapore; National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Rainbow Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities, Singapore, Singapore.

 

Introduction: Speech disfluencies observed across multiple languages may reflect typical patterns of bilingual development rather than clinical stuttering, prompting a growing need to establish diagnostic criteria to improve the accuracy of stuttering assessment in bilingual individuals. While recent studies have begun to characterise normative disfluency patterns in fluent bilinguals, the manifestation of such disfluencies in languages such as Mandarin remains underexplored. This study investigates the frequency and type of disfluencies in typically developing bilingual children who speak English and Mandarin, and examines how language dominance, language type and narrative task demands influence their disfluency profiles.

Method: Thirty-six English-Mandarin speaking children comprising 16 balanced bilinguals (Mage = 5.61 years) and 20 English-dominant bilinguals (Mage = 5.56 years) were recruited from various kindergartens. Speech samples were collected across two narrative RETELL tasks (with and without visual guide) and in two languages (English and Mandarin) and were analysed for stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs), non-stuttering-like disfluencies (NSLDs) and total disfluencies (TDs).

Results: Approximately 55-65% of the bilingual English-Mandarin children in this study were found to exceed the monolingual diagnostic criteria for SLD, NSLD, and TD in at least one speech sample. However, only a subset of children surpassed the thresholds across all measures. Monosyllabic word repetitions and revisions were among the most common SLD and NSLD, respectively. No significant differences in SLD, NSLD, and TD were found between English-dominant and balanced bilinguals. While SLD did not appear to be influenced by language or task type, the frequency of NSLD and TD was found to be significantly higher in Mandarin and during narrative RETELL without visual guide.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that bilingual children can produce disfluency patterns that are quantitatively and qualitatively different from monolingual and other bilingual populations. Clinically, this highlights the need for bilingual-specific diagnostic frameworks that account for language context, task demands, and different bilingual profiles.

PMID: 41875289 DOI: 10.1159/000550426

 

 

 

The influence of phonotactic probability and phonological similarity on serial nonword recall in adults who do and do not stutter - FALA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Apr 7:88:106217. Online ahead of print.

 

Xiaofan Lei & Jayanthi Sasisekaran

University of Minnesota -Twin Cities, United States.

 

Introduction: Studies using nonword repetition have reported differences in phonological working memory (PWM) processes in adults who stutter (AWS). The purpose of the current study was to further investigate such differences in an immediate serial recall task.

Methods: Participants were 10 AWS (7 males and 3 females; age range = 19-41 years) and 10 age-matched adults who do not stutter (AWNS; age range = 21-42 years). Participants listened to and recalled lists of four CVC nonwords differing in phonotactic probability (high vs. low) and phonological similarity (similar vs. distinct). The cognitive effort associated with task performance was indexed using galvanic skin conductance response. Linear mixed effects was used to determine group differences in recall accuracy measured as an aggregate of item and order errors in the fluent trials with cognitive effort and expressive vocabulary as covariates. The groups were also compared in syllable and phoneme level substitution, omission, and migration, recall accuracy in disfluent vs. fluent trials, and speech onset and response durations.

Results: The groups did not differ significantly in recall accuracy in the fluent trials. However, AWS exhibited more syllable omissions than AWNS. Disfluent trials in AWS, which were also significantly longer in duration, showed lower recall accuracy when compared to the fluent trials from AWS and AWNS.

Conclusions: Delayed initial encoding of nonword sequences and or disrupted rehearsal processes in PWM are attributed to the omissions and disfluency-recall error clusters. Lack of differences in item and order errors require further testing in comparison to higher nonword list lengths in a larger sample. Further considerations for the study of the effects of phonological factors on nonword recall are discussed.

PMID: 41955691 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106217

 

 

 

The Link Between Syntactic Complexity and Stuttering-Like Disfluencies in French Speaking Adults - LINGUAGEM

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr;61(2):e70218.

Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12962291/pdf/JLCD-61-0.pdf

 

Alice Le Dévic et al

Université Claude Bernard Lyon, Lyon, France; Université de Montpellier Paul-Valéry & CNRS, Montpellier, France.

 

Background: Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by speech disfluencies. While studies have shown a link between syntactic complexity and stuttering in children, its role in adults who stutter (AWS) remains unclear. This study investigates whether increased syntactic complexity correlates with stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) in AWS and evaluates three syntactic complexity indices.

Methods: Participants included 24 French-speaking adults (12 AWS, 12 controls), matched for age, gender, and education. Participants completed a sentence description task using sentences of varying syntactic complexity. Syntactic complexity was quantified using three measures: Mean Length of Utterance (MLU), Index of Syntactic Complexity (ISC), and Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn). Disfluencies were categorized as SLDs or other disfluencies (ODs). Statistical analyses examined the relationship between syntactic complexity and disfluencies across participant groups.

Results: AWS produced significantly more SLDs than controls across all levels of syntactic complexity. The number of disfluencies increased with syntactic complexity in AWS but not in controls. MLU was the most sensitive index for predicting disfluencies. Severe stutterers exhibited higher disfluency rates compared to mild and moderate stutterers.

Conclusion: Increased syntactic complexity exacerbates stuttering in AWS. MLU, a measure of sentence length, proved most effective for explaining disfluency rates, suggesting its clinical utility. Findings support the demands and capacities model, indicating that reducing syntactic demands may alleviate stuttering..

PMID: 41784563 PMCID: PMC12962291 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70218

 

 

 

The perceptions and practices of speech-language pathologists in Turkiye regarding therapy approaches for children who stutter focusing on the Lidcombe Program - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Aug 2:1-13. Online ahead of print.

Free article; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/17549507.2026.2704746?needAccess=true

 

Mustafa Subasi & John Van Borsel et al

Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

Purpose: The Lidcombe Program is an evidence-based treatment for early stuttering. Although negative attitudes towards direct stuttering therapies have previously been reported among Turkish speech-language pathologists, these data are outdated, and this study updates the field by examining current perceptions and experiences with the Lidcombe Program. This study explored Turkish clinicians' perceptions, practices, and challenges in delivering pre-school stuttering therapy, with a focus on the Lidcombe Program.

Method: An explanatory sequential mixed-method design was employed. In Phase 1, 121 Turkish speech-language pathologists completed a cross-sectional survey on early stuttering therapy. In Phase 2, eight speech-language pathologists participated in semi-structured interviews analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Result: Survey findings indicated that the Lidcombe Program was the most frequently used therapy for preschoolers who stutter, particularly among more experienced clinicianss, despite few having completed formal Lidcombe Program training (e.g. a Lidcombe Program Trainers Consortium workshop). Most respondents expressed interest in Lidcombe Program training and emphasised the need for Turkish-language resources. Interviews highlighted two main challenges: Limited training opportunities and implementation difficulties, including variable parental engagement and language-related barriers.

Conclusion: Barriers such as scarce Turkish-language training and resources may impact speech-language pathologists' confidence in delivering the Lidcombe Program. Expanding culturally and linguistically appropriate training, including accessible online modules, may improve uptake and implementation.

PMID: 42542945 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2026.2704746

 

 

 

The role of social anxiety and attentional focus in a virtual reality environment on articulatory control in adults who stutter - EMOCIONAL / TEMPERAMENTO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jul 3:89:106236. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000446?via%3Dihub

 

Kim R Bauerly et al

University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.

 

Purpose: Adults who stutter (AWS) show a maladaptive attentional focus when speaking under socially stressful conditions and at the same time, attentional focus has shown to impact articulatory control in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive factors of social anxiety and attentional focus on articulatory control in AWS compared to a group of adults who do not stutter (ANS), varying in social anxiety levels.

Method: Seventeen AWS and 23 ANS repeated sentences in a virtual reality environment under a low- and high- socially stressful condition. Attentional focus was unsolicited and allowed to occur naturally and spontaneously. Social stress was measured using skin conductance levels changes (SCLdiff) and an anxiety questionnaire (Anxiety-Q). Attentional focus was measured using the Focus of Attention Questionnaire (FAQ). Speech motor control was assessed by measuring movement duration (DUR) and lip aperture variability using the spatiotemporal index (LA STI). Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the effects of social anxiety (Anxiety-Q, SCLdiff) and attentional focus (FAQ) on speech motor control (DUR, LA STI).

Results: Preliminary testing showed significant differences in DUR and LA STI in the AWS compared to ANS. Multiple regression analyses showed increases in anxiety significantly predicted increases in articulatory variability but not DUR for the AWS. No significant associations were found between anxiety and attentional focus, nor for the duration of movement.

Conclusion: Results showed social anxiety predicts changes in articulatory variability in AWS when speaking under social stress, while attentional focus plays a lesser, insignificant role.

PMID: 42400999 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106236

 

 

 

The Speech Network in Childhood Stuttering: Differences in Functional Connectivity of the Planning and Motor Loops - INFANTIL / NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2026 Jan 13:7:NOL.a.26.

Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12978680/pdf/nol-07-26.pdf

 

Fiona Höbler et al

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Western University, London, ON, Canada; Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.

 

Developmental stuttering is a complex neurodevelopmental condition associated with structural and functional anomalies in the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical (BGTC) circuits that support speech planning and execution. In this study, we examined hypothesized impairments in the planning and motor circuits of the speech network in children who stutter (CWS), compared to children who do not stutter (CNS), using person-specific functional connectivity maps derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data. RsfMRI data were acquired from 73 CWS and 74 CNS, aged 3 to 10 years. Twelve regions of interest within the speech motor networks were extracted. Functional connectivity was assessed using confirmatory subgrouping group iterative multiple model estimation (CS-GIMME), which estimates group-, subgroup-, and individual-level connections. Subgroup-level functional connectivity patterns revealed altered connections among CWS in both planning and motor loops, including reduced within-network connectivity, compared to CNS. CWS showed connectivity between the left posterior inferior frontal sulcus and left ventral lateral thalamus that was not observed in CNS. Furthermore, centrality of the left ventral lateral thalamus and right ventral premotor cortex were increased in CWS relative to CNS. Significant differences between CWS and CNS in within-network connectivity highlight early developmental alterations that affect the BGTC circuitry, pointing toward inefficiencies in the neural network that supports the programming, planning and timing of speech motor sequences.

PMID: 41822143 PMCID: PMC12978680 DOI: 10.1162/NOL.a.26

 

 

 

The Stages We Inhabit: A Lived Experience With Stuttering - TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 May 21:1-7. Online ahead of print.

 

Tim McCarren & Ginger Collins

Hopkins High School, Minnetonka, MN; University of Montana, Missoula.

 

Purpose: This article explores the evolving concept of a "freed voice" for persons who stutter through a personal narrative, examining how therapeutic approaches and individual perspectives on stuttering change across the lifespan. The primary author, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who stutters, reflects on his journey through various stages of stuttering and how this journey has informed his clinical practice.

Method: The author shares an autobiographical narrative chronicling his personal experiences with stuttering from childhood to adulthood. This personal narrative is organized around the various stages experienced by the author regarding his attitudes about stuttering, the various therapeutic interventions to which he was exposed, and the differing philosophies about stuttering and stuttering therapies these interventions were based on.

Results: This narrative reveals five distinct stages: initial unawareness followed by cure-seeking, concealment and avoidance, acceptance of open stuttering, exploration and improvisation, and integration of multiple therapeutic philosophies. Key findings highlight the importance of early positive messaging about stuttering, the limitations of fluency-focused goals, and the value of meeting clients where they are in their stuttering journey. The author's lived experience demonstrates that an authentic "freed voice" is not the result of eliminating stuttering but from releasing shame, avoidance, and societal pressures.

Conclusions: This article advocates for paradigm shifts in stuttering intervention, emphasizing acceptance-based approaches over more traditional fluency goals. Clinical implications include the need for SLPs to examine their own beliefs about stuttering, prioritize positive attitude development over fluency training, and recognize that therapeutic needs evolve throughout each individual's stuttering journey. The author concludes that a truly "freed voice" is not free of stuttering but free from the emotional and behavioral constraints that limit authentic communication.

PMID: 42166446 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-25-00471

 

 

 

 

The synthetic self-hypothesis: dopaminergic redirection through self-face recognition in stuttering therapy - TERAPIA

Front Hum Neurosci. 2026 Jun 16:20:1824667. eCollection 2026.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13314853/pdf/fnhum-20-1824667.pdf

 

Tolga Sözüçok

İzmir Tınaztepe University, İzmir, Türkiye.

 

Stuttering affects approximately 1% of adults. Therapies based on imitation offer only modest benefits when individuals observe external models. Neurobiological research reveals a key asymmetry: some studies suggest self-face recognition activates ventral tegmental area (VTA) reward circuits more strongly than observing others' faces, and positron emission tomography (PET) research shows increased dopamine synthesis in some people who stutter. The Synthetic Self Hypothesis (SSH) proposes that this increase reflects misdirected effort toward maladaptive targets rather than pathological excess. AI-generated fluent self-models may reroute dopaminergic reinforcement signals via two linked mechanisms: self-referential reward tagging, where VTA activation during self-face recognition boosts learning signals, and improved motor chunk consolidation, where phasic dopamine reinforcement strengthens fluent movement sequences. This framework leads to testable neural and behavioral predictions, including increased VTA-ventral striatum connectivity compared to VTA-dorsal striatum connectivity, larger reductions in stuttering frequency than waitlist controls, and outcomes mediated by increased communication self-efficacy. Baseline dopamine synthesis capacity is expected to influence treatment response, with those with higher synthesis capacity experiencing greater benefits from redirection-based therapies. In this view, the neurobiology of stuttering is considered a failure of dopamine targeting rather than dopamine pathology, offering a mechanistic basis for personalized AI-driven intervention while recognizing that metabolic constraints may set limits on treatment success.

PMID: 42382321 PMCID: PMC13314853

 

 

 

The Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering Scale-Revised (UTBAS-R): Streamlining a cognitions checklist - AVALIAÇÃO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 24:88:106212. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000203?via%3Dihub

 

Monique Jones et al

University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia.

 

Background: The Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering Scale (UTBAS) is a widely used measure, available in 17 languages, designed to identify negative cognitions of adults who stutter. However, with a total of 198 response requirements (three subscales with 66 items each), it is long and impractical for use in many clinical and research settings. We conducted two studies. Study 1 investigated the correlation between the three subscales to determine if any of the scales could be removed. Study 2 sought to reduce the total number of items based on floor and ceiling effects, high levels of correlation with other items, and item-response (IRT) theory fit statistics.

Method: We analysed UTBAS data from the Australian Stuttering Research Centre (ASRC) database. Participants were adults who stutter and who had completed the UTBAS as part of their participation in either a speech restructuring and/or cognitive behaviour therapy-based research trial.

Results: Study 1 (n = 316) revealed strong, positive relationships between subscale total scores (r values ≥ 0.88). This finding was consistent for pre- and post-treatment UTBAS scores and was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Study 2 (n = 431) revealed 7 of scale 1 items with floor or ceiling effects, and 6 items highly correlated with others. An initial IRT identified 11 items with poor fit. The top 20 items with the highest slope parameters were finally selected.

Conclusion: Results demonstrate redundancy of the second and third subscales and 46 items of the UTBAS. We propose a preliminary revised version of the UTBAS (UTBAS-R) consisting of 20 items and one subscale.

PMID: 41762775 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106212

 

 

 

Trauma-related symptoms among adults who stutter - EMOCIONAL

J Commun Disord. 2026 Mar 27:121:106642. Online ahead of print.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021992426000274?via%3Dihub

 

Adi Zloof-Golombick et al

Ariel University, Ariel, Israel; The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv, Israel;, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, Israel.

 

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether Adults who stutter (AWS) experience trauma-related symptoms and to explore the relationship between these symptoms, anxiety, and various aspects of the stuttering experience.

Methods: Fifty-five AWS and 41 AWNS completed the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) adapted for stuttering/speaking events and two questions about dissociation frequency and intensity from the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5). AWS also completed the Endler Multidimensional Anxiety Scales-Trait (EMAS-T), the Wright & Ayre Stuttering Self-Rating Profile (WASSP), and a perceived stuttering severity self-rating scale. The prevalence of trauma-related symptoms was compared between AWS and AWNS, and correlations between trauma-related symptoms and stuttering experience and perceived severity were conducted among AWS, while controlling for anxiety.

Results: Trauma-related symptoms were reported significantly more by AWS than AWNS. After controlling for anxiety, PTSD and CPTSD total score correlated with WASSP total score, but not with perceived stuttering severity. CPTSD total score correlated with thoughts and feelings about stuttering and avoidance and disadvantage due to stuttering. CPTSD was further correlated with feelings of anger and helplessness, avoidance of admitting your problem to yourself, and disadvantage at home.

Conclusions: This is the first quantitative study to demonstrate trauma-related symptoms among AWS as a result of their stuttering experiences. The presence of these symptoms among AWS suggests that a traumatic experience is linked to their communication difficulties. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing trauma and its manifestations in the assessment and treatment of stuttering.

PMID: 41934728 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106642

 

 

 

Understanding stuttering through the lens of women who stutter: A reflexive thematic analysis of the women who stutter podcast - DEPOIMENTOS

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Jun 29:89:106235.. Online ahead of print.

 

Ladan Khoshbin et al

Binghamton University, United States.

 

Despite advancements in stuttering research, the lived experiences of women who stutter (WWS) remain significantly underrepresented. This study explores these multifaceted experiences across educational, professional, relational, psychosocial, identity-related, and personal domains, while also attending to the intersectional dimensions of gender and stuttering that uniquely shape their lives. Drawing on a reflexive thematic analysis of 80 episodes of the Women Who Stutter: Our Stories podcast, the study amplifies women's voices and highlights dimensions of stuttering often overlooked in research and practice. These episodes were recorded between 2010 and 2025. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this study identified four overarching themes: (1) the multifaceted impact of stuttering across life domains; (2) more than fluency: the internal landscape of stuttering; (3) from struggle to strength: women's journey with stuttering; and (4) the power of shared spaces: being a woman in the world of stuttering. Findings highlight how stuttering intersects with gendered expectations, identity formation, social stigma, and mental health. Participants' narratives revealed how disclosure, community connection, and therapeutic validation shaped pathways from concealment to empowerment. This study amplifies the voices of WWS and calls for more intersectional, gender-responsive approaches to stuttering research, therapy, and advocacy.

PMID: 42398288 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106235

 

 

 

Unraveling the mystery of stuttering: clinical and physiological insights into its manifestation - CONCEITO

Front Hum Neurosci. 2026 Apr 8:20:1700499. 2026.

Free article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13099768/pdf/fnhum-20-1700499.pdf

 

Jalal Majid Jalil et al

University of Diyala, Baqubah, Diyala, Iraq; Al-Yarmouk University, Baqubah, Diyala, Iraq.

 

Stuttering is a complex neurodevelopmental speech disorder characterized by involuntary sound and syllable repetitions, prolongations, and speech blocks, accompanied by marked variability across linguistic, emotional, and situational contexts. Although numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain its underlying mechanisms, many have encountered a fundamental limitation: the difficulty of coherently accounting for the full range of clinical, developmental, and neurobiological features observed in people who stutter. In response to this gap, the present work proposes a comprehensive, integrative hypothesis that seeks to unify the diverse physiological and clinical manifestations of stuttering within a single neurobiological framework. This model aims to link moment-to-moment fluctuations in speech behavior with neurodevelopmental alterations, offering a plausible mechanistic account for a wide spectrum of core phenomena. These include the pronounced situational variability of stuttering severity; the developmental shifts from repetitions to blocks; the transition of disfluencies from function words to content words; the tendency for stuttering to occur on key words in a sentence; and the consistently lower rates of spontaneous recovery observed in males compared to females. Furthermore, the proposed framework seeks to explore potential common mechanisms underlying the widespread structural, metabolic, and functional brain changes documented in stuttering, while considering whether these abnormalities may reflect primary contributors or secondary, compensatory adaptations. In particular, the model seeks to address a long-standing debate regarding the role of the right inferior frontal gyrus, examining whether its engagement is more consistent with a causal contribution to speech disruption or with an adaptive response to impaired speech-motor control. By integrating neurodevelopmental, physiological, and clinical evidence, this hypothesis offers a unifying perspective on key features of stuttering while proposing a neurobiological model whose assumptions and hypotheses can be empirically tested and evaluated in future experimental studies.

PMID: 42028038 PMCID: PMC13099768

 

 

 

Using the DIVA model to better understand speech motor disorders - CONCEITO

Clin Linguist Phon. 2026 Jul 22:1-23. Online ahead of print.

Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13452089/pdf/nihms-2200710.pdf

 

Hannah Rowe & Frank H Guenther

Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

 

The Directions Into Velocities of Articulators (DIVA) model provides a comprehensive neurocomputational framework for understanding speech production and speech motor disorders. This theoretical model describes three main control processes: feedforward control, auditory feedback control, and somatosensory feedback control. By mapping these processes to specific brain regions and neural circuits, DIVA offers insights into the mechanistic basis of various speech disorders and provides a foundation for developing targeted therapeutic interventions. This paper reviews the DIVA model's architecture, its applications to understanding communication disorders, and its potential for guiding clinical practice and technology development.

PMID: 42484500 PMCID: PMC13452089

 

 

 

Validation and Reliability of Arabic Brief Version of the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering (UTBAS-6) Scales

Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2026 Jun 22:1-23. Online ahead of print.

 

Sondos A M Yakout et al

 

Background: The Brief Version of the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering Scales (UTBAS-6) is an efficient and reliable way to screen for unhelpful and negative thoughts, as well as negative beliefs and anxiety among people who stutter. It makes it easier to provide information about people who stutter by saving time for SLPs in clinics.

Aim: The aim of this study was to construct an Arabic version of the Brief Version of the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering Scales (A-UTBAS-6) and to evaluate its clinical validity, reliability, and internal consistency.

Methods: The developed A-UTBAS-6 was administered to 53 adults who stuttered (AWS) and 112 adults who did not stutter (ANS). Both test-retest reliability and internal consistency were tested. The results for both groups were compared.

Results: The internal consistency of the A-UTBAS-6 total score was excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.957), and test-retest reliability was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The scores for the two groups in the A-UTBAS-6 were significantly different (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: A-UTBAS-6 is a valid tool for the early detection of thoughts and beliefs that are unhelpful and which may accompany speech disorders among Arabic patients who stutter.

PMID: 42329004 DOI: 10.1159/000553207

 

 

 

Variability of Preschool Stuttering During a Day - INFANTIL / AVALIAÇÃO

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jul 8:1-8. Online ahead of print.

 

Mark Onslow ET AL

University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia; Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Allambie Heights, New South Wales, Australia.

 

Purpose: Severity ratings (SRs) of children's stuttering assigned by parents and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have advantages over methods based on stuttering counts. They are valid, simple, and convenient; without cost; and can be used without the child's awareness. The aim of this project was to study, for the first time, the use of an SR scale by parents and SLPs to track stuttering severity for preschool children over a typical day. For that purpose, we used 10 case studies.

Method: Participants were 10 preschool children who stuttered (3-4 years of age) and their parents. Each child's speech was audio-recorded by their parent for an entire day at home, commencing at approximately 8:00 a.m. During that day, an SLP made a randomly timed phone call, during which a 10-min sample of the child's speech was audio-recorded. At the end of the day, both before and after training in the use of a 10-point scale, parents assigned a "typical" SR score for their child's speech for the day. An independent SLP later assigned an SR to each 15-min segment of each child's recording from across the day.

Results: The severity of all children's stuttering varied throughout the day, and in more than half the children, it varied by as much as 4-6 SR scale values. SRs showed no consistent trend of stuttering increasing or decreasing during the day. There was close correspondence between parent- and SLP-assigned SRs for the day. Parent training in the use of the scale, which occurred at the end of the day of recording, did not change that correspondence. A random 10-min speech sample provided a reasonably valid SR score to represent typical stuttering for the entire day.

Conclusion: These findings can be applied in clinical and research contexts where measurement of early stuttering may be used to monitor a child's speech for a substantive period.

PMID: 42418220 DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJSLP-25-00246

 

 

 

Virtual adaptation of Camp Dream. Speak. Live.: Clinical outcomes of an intensive CARE Model intervention for children who stutter - TERAPIA

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2025 Dec 7:1-15. Online ahead of print.

 

Courtney T Byrd et al

The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA; New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA.

 

Purpose: Camp Dream. Speak. Live. is an intensive, strengths-based, manualised treatment program for children who stutter, with no indirect or direct fluency goals. This study determined the effectiveness of a virtual adaptation of Camp Dream. Speak. Live. in reducing the adverse impact of stuttering and increasing communication competence.

Method: Sixty-one children who stutter (ages 3 to 17 years) participated in Virtual Camp Dream. Speak. Live. pre- and post-treatment measures were identical to previous in-person administrations: (a) Self- and caregiver-report of cognitive and affective impact of stuttering (Communication Attitude Test for Children who Stutter, Overall Assessment of Speaker's Experience of Stuttering, PROMIS Paediatric Peer Relationship, and PROMIS Parent Proxy Relationships) and (b) unfamiliar clinician ratings of communication competence of impromptu presentations.

Result: Significant post-treatment gains observed one week after treatment were reported for the Communication Attitude Test for Children who Stutter (p < .05), Overall Assessment of Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (p < .001), and PROMIS Peer Relationships Parent Proxy (p < .05). Significant gains in post-treatment communication competence were observed for seven of nine competencies (p-value range: .01 to .02). Pre-treatment stuttering frequency did not significantly predict changes in communication competence.

Conclusion: Findings from Virtual Camp Dream. Speak. Live. demonstrate that the administration of the adapted telepractice format of this manualised program yields comparable findings as when administered in-person, suggesting promising implications when in-person provision and/or access is not feasible.

PMID: 41355162 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2025.2589140

 

 

 

Visualization of Internal Working Models Through Transactional Analysis (TA) Developmental Collage Therapy: A Case Report - OUTRAS ÁREAS

Case Reports Cureus. 2026 Jan 29;18(1):e102599. eCollection 2026 Jan.
Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12865483/pdf/cureus-0018-00000102599.pdf

 

Hidemi Nakano

Tokyo Clinical Psychology Counseling Academy, Tokyo, JPN.

 

Bowlby's Internal Working Model (IWM) is central to understanding adult attachment-related difficulties. However, what IWM concretely consists of remains unspecified, and no method exists for directly visualizing IWM. Because IWM is formed during the pre-verbal period, it is difficult to access through language-based psychotherapy alone. A woman in her 20s with a history of childhood stuttering and subsequent interpersonal difficulties participated in Transactional Analysis (TA) Developmental Collage Therapy. She created six collage works representing "myself and my surrounding environment" across developmental stages from birth to a future after therapeutic change. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the Tokyo University Egogram Third Edition (TEG3), which measures five ego states based on TA theory, and the Experiences in Close Relationships inventory-Generalized Other version (ECR-GO), which assesses attachment anxiety and avoidance. The collage works visually depicted the relationship between the "Child" ego state (Free Child or Adapted Child) and the surrounding environment ("Parent") at each developmental stage. Collages 1-2 expressed stable attachment with Free Child; Collages 3-4 depicted transformation to insecure attachment with Adapted Child following negative experiences; Collages 5-6 showed re-emergence of Free Child and movement toward secure attachment. TEG3 showed decreased Critical Parent (CP: 49→35) and Adapted Child (AC: 50→45), with increased Free Child (FC: 57→59). ECR-GO showed decreased Attachment Anxiety (54→48) and Attachment Avoidance (51→45). This case suggests that TA Developmental Collage Therapy can visualize IWM and facilitate its transformation. The findings indicate that ego states may constitute structural components of IWM, and that combining non-verbal collage techniques with verbal approaches may provide an effective therapeutic framework that complements language-based psychotherapy.

PMID: 41640895 PMCID: PMC12865483 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.102599

 

 

 

 

Voltar para Abstracts

 

 

Veja os abstracts de   

                                      janeiro a julho de 2025

                                      agosto a dezembro de 2025

 

                                      janeiro a julho de 2024

                                      agosto a dezembro de 2024

 

                                     janeiro a julho de 2023

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2023

 

                                     janeiro a julho de 2022

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2022

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2021

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2021

                                      

                                    janeiro a julho de 2020

                                   agosto a dezembro de 2020

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2019

                                   agosto a dezembro de 2019

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2018

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2018

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2017

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2017

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2016

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2016

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2015

                                    agosto a dezembro de 2015

 

                                    janeiro a julho de 2014
                                    agosto a dezembro de 2014

 

                                     janeiro a julho de 2013

                                     agosto a dezembro de 2013

 

                                      janeiro a julho de 2012

                                      agosto a dezembro de 2012