Stuttering Evaluation

three parts to an evaluation

before, during and after the appointment

before appointment

review information that the client/parent provided

during appointment

• case history

• overt stuttering analysis

• covert stuttering analysis

• recommendations

after appointment

report writing

main assessment goals for preschool children

stuttering or typical nonfluencies, risk factors for persistent stuttering, confirmation of stuttering

main assessment goals for school age children, adolescents, and adults

readiness for treatment

case history

obtain relevant background information

• description of problem (onset, duration, etc)

• family history (for younger children)

• speech/language development

• academic performance (relevant for school age and older)

• additional case history (speech related anxiety, etc)

• previous treatment and details

overt stuttering analysis in clinic

spontaneous speech sample, reading sample (for readers), observing secondary behaviors, analyzing stuttering

overt stuttering analysis from parents/clients at home

speech samples on different days, minimum of 250 syllables to analyze

data to collect from speech samples

stuttering frequency (percent stuttered syllables), frequency by type analysis, average duration of 3 longest stuttering moments, number of repetitions for repetitions, speech rate, secondary characteristics

typical speech rate for fluent adults

129-222 wpm

speech rate for adult stutterers

42-191 wpm

how to calculate average duration 3 longest stuttering moments

measure and average the 3 longest ones

how to calculate percent stuttered syllables

divide the number stuttering of stuttering moments by the number of syllables. (ex: 10 syllables and 3 stuttering moments. 3/10 = 30% PSS)

SSI-4

stuttering severity instrument (4th edition). only analyzes primary and secondary symptoms

covert symptom analysis for preschool children

KiddyCat (Vanryckegham, 2002)

covert symptom analysis for school age children

• A-19 (Andre & Guitar, 1996)

• Communication Aptitude Test (CAT; Brutten, 1985)

• OASES (Yaruss & Quesal, 2010)

covert symptom analysis for adolescents and adults

• Modified Erickson Scale of Communication Attitudes (S-24; Andrews & Cutler, 1974)

• OASES (Yaruss & Quesal, 2010)

recommendations for preschool children

monitor or start treatment depending on evaluation findings

recommendations for school age children, adolescents, and adults

either start treatment or not

report writing

evaluation of all information. includes history, evaluation method, evaluation results, interpretation, and recommendations