Abstract  - Agosto a Dezembro de 2024

 

 

A theory building critical realist evaluation of an integrated cognitive-behavioural fluency enhancing stuttering treatment for school-age children. Part 1: Development of a preliminary program theory from expert speech-language pathologist data - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2024 Aug 24:82:106076. Online ahead of print.

 

Michelle C Swift, Marilyn Langevin

University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

 

Purpose: This study initiated a program of research that aims to develop a program theory underlying integrated cognitive-behavioural fluency enhancing stuttering treatments for school-age children. This research asks, what in the treatment program works (or does not work), for whom, in what contexts, and why.

Methods: Using a critical realist evaluation approach, seven speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with extensive experience in treating children who stutter were asked about barriers and facilitators of optimal treatment outcomes within the context of the Comprehensive Stuttering Program - School-aged Children (CSP-SC). From these data discrete resource mechanisms, contexts, within child reasoning mechanisms, and outcomes were derived and a preliminary program theory was proposed.

Results: Facilitating and impeding child physiology, treatment and SLP resource mechanisms, family and school contexts, and within-child mechanisms were identified. Facilitating mechanisms included motivation, personality/psychological characteristics, understanding and trust of the treatment process, experience of speaking with less effort, and self-efficacy. Impeding mechanisms included reduced motivation, impeding personality/psychological characteristics, lack of buy-in, and, for some children, a prohibitive cost of effort in using learned strategies.

Conclusion: A preliminary program theory was hypothesized which will be further developed in future analysis of data obtained from children and parents who participated in the CSP-SC at the same centre from which the SLPs came. Subsequent research with new cohorts of SLPs, children, and parents from other treatment programs and centres will be needed to establish the generalizability of the program theory generated in this program of research.

PMID: 39216178 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2024.106076

 

 

 

An Adaptation Effect in Bilingual Adults Who Stutter Suggests Their Motor Learning is Influenced by Language Factors - BILINGUISMO

Percept Mot Skills. 2024 Sep 10:315125241276227. Online ahead of print.

 

Jasper Priences Vedanayagam, Santosh Maruthy

All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India.

 

Stuttering is progressively reduced when persons who stutter repeatedly read the same text. This reduction has been recently attributed to motor learning with repeated practice of speech-motor sequences. In the present study, we investigated the adaptation effect of 17 bilingual adults who stutter (BAWS). We asked these participants to complete a particular paradigm of reading passages with a 30-minute break between them. Participants were Kannada-English speaking BAWS. We split them into two groups of eight and nine participants, respectively who read in counter-balanced order two passages written in the Kannada and English languages. The averaged data from the two groups resulted in a typical adaptation curve for the five readings when read separately in both languages. When there was a switch from readings in Kannada to readings in English, there was a significant increase in the percentage of syllables stuttered. This increase in dysfluencies reduced the adaptation effect from repeated reading. These findings support the hypothesis that motor learning plays a crucial role in stuttering adaptation when participants read the same passage repeatedly in any language, but the shift in the language read suggests an interference in motor learning. Collectively, our results highlight an interaction effect between motor learning and language proficiency, seen by increased dysfluencies and a reduced adaptation effect in bilingual speakers.

PMID: 39254106 DOI: 10.1177/00315125241276227

 

 

 

An exploration of UK speech and language therapists' treatment and management of functional communication disorders: A mixed-methods online survey - TERAPIA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2024 Sep 17. Online ahead of print.

 

Kirsty McKenzie, Katerina Hilari, Nicholas Behn

City St George's, University of London, London, UK.

 

Background: Functional Communication Disorders (FCDs) are one specific presentation of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). FND is characterised by neurological symptoms, such as sensory and motor symptoms, which are not explained by neurological disease. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) have expertise in managing communication disorders, including FCDs, though is not known is what clinicians do in practice to treat and manage FCDs.

Aim: To explore the clinical practices of SLTs who regularly manage FCDs in the UK, including the assessment and intervention approaches taken.

Methods & procedures: An online survey was developed using Qualtrics software and piloted before dissemination. Participants were experienced SLTs working in the UK who managed at least three FCD referrals a year. The survey was developed with a mix of qualitative and quantitative questions. The survey was disseminated via social media and professional networks.

Outcomes & results: There were 73 completed responses to the survey. Participants reported working with a range of FCDs clinically, with functional stuttering and articulation disorders seen most frequently. SLTs reported working with a wide range of multidisciplinary professionals when managing patients with FCDs, though lack of access to mental health professionals was raised as an issue. SLTs reported using a combination of formal and informal communication assessments. Interventions varied, with a wide range of psychological approaches informing treatment. Lack of specific training, evidence base and negative attitudes around functional neurological disorder (FND) were raised as ongoing issues.

Conclusions & implications: Therapists encountered a wide range of FCDs as part of their clinical practice, though there was a significant disparity in the service and interventions offered. SLTs feel their input can be effective, but lack the resources, training and evidence-based interventions to provide adequate care.

PMID: 39287357 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.13113

 

 

 

Atypical gut microbiota composition in a mouse model of developmental stuttering - CONCEITO

Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 8;14(1):23457.

Free article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-74766-x

 

Sayan Nanda et al

University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.

 

Developmental stuttering is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by disfluent speech. It has been associated with mutations in genes involved in lysosomal enzyme trafficking. Mice with mutations in one such gene, Gnptab, exhibit atypical vocalizations analogous to stuttering in humans. This mouse model has enabled the study of various molecular mechanisms related to the disorder. Simultaneously, an increasing number of reports have suggested the role of gut microbiota in altered brain function and development in neurological disorders. In this study, we compared gut microbiota profiles from Gnptab mutant mice to wildtype control mice. Microbiome analysis demonstrated a distinct microbiota profile in Gnptab mutant mice. The most significant alteration was an increased relative abundance of Akkermansia, a genus of mucin degrading bacteria, which has previously been associated with multiple neurological disorders. Moreover, the altered microbiota profile of these mice was predicted to result in differences in abundance of several metabolic pathways, including short chain fatty acid and lipopolysaccharide synthesis. These pathways may play a role in the onset, progression and persistence of developmental stuttering. This is the first study to show a potential link between developmental stuttering and changes in the gut microbiota, laying the groundwork for a new research direction.

PMID: 39379558 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74766-x

 

 

 

Clinical Profile of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children at a Tertiary Care Center - CONCEITO

Cureus. 2024 Aug 26;16(8):e67819.

Free ful text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11423788/pdf/cureus-0016-00000067819.pdf

 

Mridu Bahal et al

Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pune, IND.

 

Background Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) encompass intricate interactions among genetic, brain, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes. These disorders, which are influenced by hereditary and environmental factors, impair personal, social, intellectual, or occupational functioning. Typically emerging early in life, NDDs include conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), vision and hearing impairments, motor disorders, and specific learning disabilities. Children from impoverished and low-income neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable. The lack of comprehensive health data and public awareness about these conditions results in limited information regarding the prevalence of neurological illnesses in developing countries. India, with its large and ethnically diverse population, exemplifies this gap.

Methods It is a prospective study to detect the prevalence and risk factors of neurodevelopmental disorders in children aged six months to nine years at a tertiary care center. Patient details, clinical findings, and relevant history were recorded on a pre-designed pro forma and analyzed statistically.

Results Among the 1000 children in the study, 91 (9.1%) tested positive for NDDs. Among the 91 children who tested positive for NDD, the highest frequency is in the three to four years age group (17.6%), males were found to be in a higher ratio with 75.82%, with the male: female ratio being 3:1. Among the 91 children with NDD, intellectual disability was the most common disorder (20.9%), followed by ADHD (17.6%) and vision impairment (14.3%). Autism spectrum disorders, including autism and Asperger syndrome, and communication disorders, including stuttering and speech disorders, accounted for 13.2% each. Hearing loss was seen in 9.9% of children and multiple disorders were seen in 8.8% of the children from among 91 children.

Conclusion Neurodevelopmental disorders are common and often coexist with other conditions. Children from low-income backgrounds are more affected. This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and characteristics of NDDs in a specific population.

PMID: 39323725 PMCID: PMC11423788 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.67819

 

 

 

Contemporary clinical conversations about stuttering: Can intervention stop early stuttering development? - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2024 Sep 1:1-8. Online ahead of print.

 

Brooke L Edwards, Eric S Jackson, Elaina Kefalianos, Stacey Sheedy, Mark Onslow

SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young, New York, NY, USA; New York University, New York, NY, USA; University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; South Western Sydney Local Health District, Bankstown, NSW, Australia; Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia; University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.

 

Purpose: To discuss whether early intervention can stop stuttering development. To inform junior clinicians and students of speech-language pathology about contemporary views on this issue.

Method: The issue was discussed by two university researchers and two speech-language pathologists who provide public clinical services. Written conversational turns in an exchange were limited to 100 words each. When that written dialogue was concluded, each participant provided 200 words of final reflection about the issue.

Result: Most differences that emerged centred on the clinical evidence base for early intervention, which emphasises stuttering reduction, and how it should be interpreted.

Conclusion: The evidence base for early intervention has limitations and it should be interpreted cautiously. One interpretation is that reducing stuttering severity is a justifiable core of early management. Another interpretation focuses on ease of communication, anticipation of stuttering, and covert stuttering.

PMID: 39218003 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2024.2371870

 

 

 

Developmental stuttering in adults - FARMACOLOGIA

Review Ugeskr Laeger. 2024 Aug 26;186(35):V03240229. [Article in Danish]

 

Thomas Bauer Mølgaard, Lone Baandrup

Københavns Universitetshospital; Københavns Universitet.

PMID: 39234893 DOI: 10.61409/V03240229

Free article

 

Developmental stuttering is characterized by early childhood onset with repetition of syllables, prolongations, and blockades as well as secondary behavioural abnormalities. Early therapy is important while there is no approved pharmacological approach. Studies associate developmental stuttering with dopamin surplus in the striatum causing dysfunction of cortical speech areas. Consequently, antidopaminergic agents are being investigated to improve symptoms. The evidence in adults is comprised of few studies of poor quality but might hold promise as a new treatment option, as argued in this review.

 

 

 

"Do dyslexia and stuttering share a processing eficit?", Corrigendum [Journal of Fluency Disorders, 67 (2021) 105827]

Published Erratum J Fluency Disord. 2024 Sep 26:106087. Online ahead of print.

 

Mahmoud M Elsherif, Linda R Wheeldon, Steven Frisson

University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; University of Agder, Norway.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 39332982 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2024.106087

 

 

 

Evaluating Stuttering Self-Stigma and Its Relationship to Adverse Impact in Children and Adolescents With the Child Stuttering Self-Stigma Scale - EMOCIONAL

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2024 Aug 14:1-15 Online ahead of print.

 

Chelsea A Johnson, Katelyn L Gerwin, Seth E Tichenor, Michael P Boyle, Bridget Walsh

Michigan State University, East Lansing; Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA; Montclair State University, Bloomfield, NJ.

 

Purpose: Self-stigma occurs when a person internalizes and applies stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination to themselves. For adults who stutter, self-stigma is linked to negative outcomes and reduced quality of life. The development of self-stigma in people who stutter is not well understood. The aim of this study is to evaluate stuttering self-stigma in school-age children and adolescents and explore potential relationships to stuttering's overall adverse impact.

Method: One hundred one children and adolescents who stutter, aged 10-18 years, completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES), a measure of adverse impact related to stuttering, and the Childhood Self-Stigma of Stuttering Scale (Child 4S), our novel adapted version of the Self-Stigma of Stuttering Scale (4S) created for this study. The Child 4S comprises three subscales measuring three stages of self-stigma: Awareness, Agreement, and Application. Each stage was evaluated for relationships with child age and the adverse impact of stuttering.

Results: We found a range of self-stigma scores among children and adolescents who stutter. Child age did not correlate with Awareness and Agreement; however, older children and adolescents reported greater Application. All stages of self-stigma strongly predicted adverse impact as measured by the OASES, and latter stages of the model were stronger predictors than earlier stages.

Conclusions: Children as young as 10 years old may experience stuttering self-stigma, and the application of self-stigma increases in adolescence, a critical period in the development of personal identity. Importantly, all stages of self-stigma predicted adverse impact related to stuttering, with latter stages being stronger predictors than earlier ones consistent with the progressive model of self-stigma being tested. The findings highlight the need for targeted, early intervention to mitigate downstream effects of stuttering self-stigma.

PMID: 39141882 DOI: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00069

 

 

 

Exploring the impact of stuttering simulation-based learning and personality traits on clinical self-efficacy and professional interest among speech-language pathology students - TERAPIA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2024 Sep 12. Online ahead of print.

 

Adi Zloof Golombick, Gil Zukerman, Michal Icht

Ariel University, Ariel, Israel; , Achva Academic College, Shikmim, Israel.

 

Background: Research suggests that participating in a stuttering simulation-based learning (SBL) program could help speech-language pathology (SLP) students feel more at ease, less nervous and more capable while interacting with people who stutter. Personality traits may influence SLP students' self-efficacy beliefs as well as their level of interest in working with clients who stutter. In particular, we suggest that the combination of low neuroticism and high extraversion, previously linked with a more outgoing, emotionally stable and social personality, may enhance self-efficacy.

Aims: To examine the impact of participating in a stuttering SBL program on clinical self-efficacy (CSE) in managing stuttering therapy among SLP students, as well as its influence on their interest in working with fluency disorders and their associations with personality dimensions. The study also evaluated satisfaction with the SBL experience.

Methods & procedures: SLP students (n = 49) underwent a fluency disorders academic course, self-reported on CSE, and had an interest in working in the field of stuttering and NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Post-stuttering SBL program participation, CSE and level of interest in practice of stuttering were reassessed. Satisfaction with the simulation was also gauged.

Outcomes & results: Students interested in working with fluency disorders scored lower in neuroticism and higher in extraversion than their uninterested counterparts. Before the SBL activity, interest ratings were negatively correlated with neuroticism and positively correlated with extraversion. Pre-SBL neuroticism was negatively correlated with CSE. Following the SBL activity, increased CSE and interest in working with fluency disorders were evident, indicating robust and medium effects of the simulation on those indices, respectively. Post-SBL neuroticism was also negatively correlated with CSE. Overall, participants reported high satisfaction with the SBL experience.

Conclusions & implications: The study suggests SBL is an effective tool for enhancing motivation to work with fluency disorders. Consideration of personality traits and professional interests in designing educational interventions for SLP students, along with tailoring approaches to individual differences, may enhance learning outcomes. The study also highlights the need to differentiate between CSE and objectively assessed clinical competence and the fact that professional development is influenced by various factors. Nonetheless, the positive correlations between personality traits, CSE and satisfaction emphasize the potential of SBL programs in shaping not only clinical skills but also the attitudes and preferences of future SLPs.

PMID: 39262379 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.13112

 

 

 

FluencyBank Timestamped: An Updated Data Set for Disfluency Detection and Automatic Intended Speech Recognition - AVALIAÇÃO

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2024 Oct 8:1-13. doi: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00070. Online ahead of print.

 

Amrit Romana, Minxue Niu, Matthew Perez, Emily Mower Provost

University of Michigan.

 

Purpose: This work introduces updated transcripts, disfluency annotations, and word timings for FluencyBank, which we refer to as FluencyBank Timestamped. This data set will enable the thorough analysis of how speech processing models (such as speech recognition and disfluency detection models) perform when evaluated with typical speech versus speech from people who stutter (PWS).

Method: We update the FluencyBank data set, which includes audio recordings from adults who stutter, to explore the robustness of speech processing models. Our update (semi-automated with manual review) includes new transcripts with timestamps and disfluency labels corresponding to each token in the transcript. Our disfluency labels capture typical disfluencies (filled pauses, repetitions, revisions, and partial words), and we explore how speech model performance compares for Switchboard (typical speech) and FluencyBank Timestamped. We present benchmarks for three speech tasks: intended speech recognition, text-based disfluency detection, and audio-based disfluency detection. For the first task, we evaluate how well Whisper performs for intended speech recognition (i.e., transcribing speech without disfluencies). For the next tasks, we evaluate how well a Bidirectional Embedding Representations from Transformers (BERT) text-based model and a Whisper audio-based model perform for disfluency detection. We select these models, BERT and Whisper, as they have shown high accuracies on a broad range of tasks in their language and audio domains, respectively.

Results: For the transcription task, we calculate an intended speech word error rate (isWER) between the model's output and the speaker's intended speech (i.e., speech without disfluencies). We find isWER is comparable between Switchboard and FluencyBank Timestamped, but that Whisper transcribes filled pauses and partial words at higher rates in the latter data set. Within FluencyBank Timestamped, isWER increases with stuttering severity. For the disfluency detection tasks, we find the models detect filled pauses, revisions, and partial words relatively well in FluencyBank Timestamped, but performance drops substantially for repetitions because the models are unable to generalize to the different types of repetitions (e.g., multiple repetitions and sound repetitions) from PWS. We hope that FluencyBank Timestamped will allow researchers to explore closing performance gaps between typical speech and speech from PWS.

Conclusions: Our analysis shows that there are gaps in speech recognition and disfluency detection performance between typical speech and speech from PWS. We hope that FluencyBank Timestamped will contribute to more advancements in training robust speech processing models.

PMID: 39378266 DOI: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00070

 

 

 

Genetic analyses of a large consanguineous south Indian family reveal novel variants in NAGPA and four hitherto unreported genes in developmental stuttering - GENÉTICA

Ann Hum Genet. 2024 Oct 9. Online ahead of print.

 

G Nandhini Devi et al

University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, India; CommuniKonnect Speech and Language Therapy, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India; Speech & Hearing Care Center and Integrated Therapy Center for Autism, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

Background: Developmental stuttering, a multifactorial speech disorder with remarkable rate of spontaneous recovery pose challenges for gene discoveries. Exonic variants in GNPTAB, GNPTG, and NAGPA involved in lysosomal pathway and AP4E1, IFNAR1, and ARMC3-signaling genes reported till date explain only ∼2.1% - 3.7% of persistent stuttering cases.

Aim: We aimed to identify additional genetic determinants of stuttering in a multiplex family by exome sequencing (n = 27) and further validation on additional extended family members (n = 21).

Materials & methods: We employed hypothesis-free and pathway-based analyses.

Results: A novel heterozygous exonic variant NM_016256.4:c.322G > A in NAGPA with reduced penetrance and predicted pathogenicity segregated with the phenotype in a large subset of the family. Reanalysis to identify additional disease-causing variant(s) revealed exonic heterozygous variants each in RIMS2 and XYLT1 in severely affected members; and IGF2R variant in a small subset of the family. Furthermore, pathway-based analysis uncovered NM_022089.4:c.3529G > A in ATP13A2 (PARK9) in affected members; and variants in GNPTAB and GNPTG of minor significance in a few affected members.

Discussion: Genotype-phenotype correlation efforts suggest that the combined effect of gene variants at multiple loci or variants in a single gene in different subsets of the pedigree (genetic heterogeneity) may be contributing to stuttering in this family. More importantly, variants identified in ATP13A2, a Parkinson's disease gene also implicated in lysosomal dysfunction, and RIMS2 suggests for the first time a likely role of dopamine signaling in stuttering.

Conclusion: Screening for these variants in independent stuttering cohorts would be astute.

PMID: 39382170 DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12579

 

 

 

Higher Frequency of Stuttered Disfluencies Negatively Affects Communicative Participation in Parkinson's Disease - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2024 Sep 12:1-12. Online ahead of print.

 

Eloïse Gooch et al

University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.; University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand; Christchurch Hospital, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand.

 

Purpose: Up to 90% of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop communication difficulties over the course of the disease. While the negative effect of dysarthria on communicative participation has been well-documented, the impact of the occurrence of acquired stuttered disfluencies on communication in different speech situations is unknown. This study aimed to determine if the frequency of occurrence of stuttered disfluencies affects communicative participation in individuals with PD, and whether such a relationship is mediated by examiner- and self-rated measures of disease severity.

Method: Conversational speech samples were collected from 100 people with PD aged 53-91 years to calculate the frequency of occurrence of stuttered disfluencies. Participants completed the Communicative Participation Item Bank to assess participation in communicative situations. Information on overall speech, cognitive, and motor performance was collected using both self-rated and examiner-rated methods.

Results: Participants with PD presented with 0.2%-9.9% stuttered disfluencies during conversation. Overall, participants with PD reported their communicative participation to be impacted "a little" (19.5 ± 7.0), but there was considerable interindividual variation. A higher frequency of stuttered disfluencies was associated with significantly lower communicative participation (ρ = -0.32, p < .01). In addition, examiner-rated frequency of stuttered disfluencies (p < .01), speech (p < .01), and motor severity (p = .04) were all significant predictors of communicative participation. Using self-ratings, speech (p < .01) and cognitive (p < .01) measures significantly predicted communicative participation.

Conclusions: In people with PD, communicative participation was significantly worse for those with a higher frequency of stuttered disfluencies. Examiner- and self-rated measures of disease severity contributed different information related to communicative constraints. Together, these results highlight the importance of individualized and holistic speech therapy that considers a wide variety of symptoms, including stuttered disfluencies, to ensure positive functional outcomes.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26850169.

PMID: 39265100 DOI: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00018

 

 

 

Lived experiences of children who stutter in their own voices - INFANTIL / CONCEITO 

J Commun Disord. 2024 Sep 11:112:106468. Online ahead of print.

 

Julia S Kerrigan, Shelley B Brundage

George Washington University, USA.

 

Introduction: Significant research has explored the lived experiences of adults who stutter, but less research exists regarding the lived experiences of children who stutter. The opinions and ideas of children who stutter may differ from those of adults, making it important for clinicians and researchers to obtain information directly from children who stutter. Asking children directly can lead to treatment outcomes and research questions that better align with the children's needs and values.

Method: Interviews with 18 children who stutter (9 girls/9 boys) ages 8-17 were sourced from the Voices of Children Who Stutter database located at Talkbank.org. Interview questions asked the children about living with a stutter, participating in stuttering support organizations (SSOs), and their perspectives on treatment. Qualitative, phenomenological analysis was performed on their answers following standardized qualitative procedures.

Results: Analysis of 910 total utterances yielded 7 themes and 9 subthemes. Themes indicated that the children: (a) had significant knowledge regarding their own stuttering, (b) had opinions regarding what constituted worthwhile treatment outcomes, (c) were clear about desirable clinician characteristics for working with kids who stutter, and (d) saw the benefits of being part of a community.

Conclusions: Themes revealed that overall, children who stutter exhibit deep understanding regarding their experiences with stuttering, which clinicians can harness in person-centered goal setting. Additionally, the participants express the importance of participating in stuttering support organizations.

PMID: 39298865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2024.106468

 

 

 

Long-term evaluation of psychosocial impact and stuttering severity after intensive stuttering therapy - TERAPIA

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2024 Sep 2:1-15. Online ahead of print.

 

Birte Wiele, Susanne Cook, Erik X Raj, Stefan Heim

Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Stotterintensivtherapie Cook, Karlsruhe, Germany; Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ, USA.; Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term stability of objective and subjective psychosocial improvements and fluency more than 10 years after participation in an intensive stuttering therapy camp.

Method: Ten former participants in intensive stuttering therapy (IST; mean age at time of intervention 14; 2 years) participated in this study. Outcomes of the IST at that time were assessed with the Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-3; Riley, 1994) and a questionnaire to measure the psychosocial impact of stuttering. A semi-structured video call and a general questionnaire for the long-term evaluation were used to gauge the participants' perceptions of the IST. These follow-up data were compared to the therapy outcomes reported by Cook (2011, 2013).

Result: Therapy effects on the severity of stuttering and psychosocial impact were stable over the follow-up period of more than 10 years. Moreover, scores for psychosocial impact and severity of stuttering further decreased from the end of the IST to the long-term evaluation. The intensive time and the periodically offered follow-up treatments were described as particularly positive by the participants.

Conclusion: Intensive stuttering therapy in childhood or adolescence can have a long-term positive effect on both internal and external stuttering symptoms.

PMID: 39219356 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2024.2371869

 

 

 

Perceptions of and beliefs about stuttering in the Hispanic/Latino community - SOCIAL

J Commun Disord. 2024 Aug 13:111:106456. Online ahead of print.

 

Angela M Medina, Jean S Mead, Stefanie Moore

Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.

 

Purpose: The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate perceptions of people who stutter and beliefs about the causes and cures of stuttering within the Hispanic/Latino community.

Methods: Respondents who were 18 or older and of Hispanic/Latino origin were invited to respond to a 24-question online survey. Questions involved exploring familiarity with and beliefs regarding etiologies, treatment approaches, treatment providers, stereotypes, and perceptions of people who stutter. Data from 151 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Results revealed that the most commonly held beliefs regarding the causes of stuttering were being "born with it", an "emotional disturbance or trauma", a "brain disorder", and/ or a "sensory impairment". The most frequently cited beliefs regarding treating stuttering were "therapy", "rehabilitation", and "tell them to slow down". Over 75 % of respondents believed that "speech therapists" can cure or treat stuttering. Respondents' perceptions of people who stutter are that they are generally "nervous" and "shy".

Conclusions: Common beliefs and perceptions relative to stuttering were identified in the Hispanic/Latino community. The beliefs one holds about the cause of stuttering as well as their negative perceptions of stutterers may contribute to the continued stigmatization of people who stutter. Implications are discussed regarding the need for culturally appropriate education for individuals who stutter, their families, and the general public.

PMID: 39154581 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2024.106456

 

 

 

Public attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering in Chinese and Japanese speech-language pathology students - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2024 Aug 24:82:106077. Online ahead of print.

 

Yu-An Chen, Shoko Miyamoto, Kenneth O St Louis

University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.

 

Purpose: This study utilized the Chinese and Japanese translations of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) and Cluttering (POSHA-Cl) to compare the differences in (a) attitudes towards stuttering versus cluttering in speech-language pathology (SLP) students in either China or Japan, (b) attitudes of SLP students in China versus Japan towards either stuttering or cluttering, and (c) attitudes of Chinese and Japanese students versus international databases for stuttering and cluttering.

Method: The POSHA-S and POSHA-Cl were both administered to 99 SLP students from six universities in China and 352 SLP students from two universities in Japan.

Results: Attitudes toward stuttering were markedly different for Chinese versus Japanese students. Overall, stuttering attitudes were slightly more positive than cluttering attitudes in both countries; however, compared to China, Japanese SLP students attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering were more disimilar. In addition, compared with the international database, the attitudes of Chinese and Japanese SLP students toward self-reactions to both disorders were more positive. [?]

Conclusion: Chinese and Japanese SLP students' attitudes toward both stuttering and cluttering are likely to be influenced by geography, culture, education, and the "halo effect." The attitudes of the SLP students in China and Japan are more negative than the attitudes as shown in the global data. [?]

PMID: 39213792 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2024.106077

 

 

 

The Contributions of the Cerebellar Peduncles and the Frontal Aslant Tract in Mediating Speech Fluency - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2024 Aug 15;5(3):676-700.

 

Sivan Jossinger, Maya Yablonski, Ofer Amir, Michal Ben-Shachar

Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

 

Fluent speech production is a complex task that spans multiple processes, from conceptual framing and lexical access, through phonological encoding, to articulatory control. For the most part, imaging studies portraying the neural correlates of speech fluency tend to examine clinical populations sustaining speech impairments and focus on either lexical access or articulatory control, but not both. Here, we evaluated the contribution of the cerebellar peduncles to speech fluency by measuring the different components of the process in a sample of 45 neurotypical adults. Participants underwent an unstructured interview to assess their natural speaking rate and articulation rate, and completed timed semantic and phonemic fluency tasks to assess their verbal fluency. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging with probabilistic tractography was used to segment the bilateral cerebellar peduncles (CPs) and frontal aslant tract (FAT), previously associated with speech production in clinical populations. Our results demonstrate distinct patterns of white matter associations with different fluency components. Specifically, verbal fluency is associated with the right superior CP, whereas speaking rate is associated with the right middle CP and bilateral FAT. No association is found with articulation rate in these pathways, in contrast to previous findings in persons who stutter. Our findings support the contribution of the cerebellum to aspects of speech production that go beyond articulatory control, such as lexical access, pragmatic or syntactic generation. Further, we demonstrate that distinct cerebellar pathways dissociate different components of speech fluency in neurotypical speakers.

PMID: 39175785 PMCID: PMC11338307 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00098