Fluency Disorders Midterm Flashcards

What causes stuttering?

The exact cause is unknown. Stuttering is understood as multifactorial, involving genetic, neurological, motor, linguistic, and environmental influences.

What are the typical onset, prevalence, and incidence of stuttering?

Onset: Usually between 20 and 48 months. Prevalence: Approximately 1% of the population currently stutters. Incidence: Approximately 5% of children experience stuttering at some point.

Do parents cause stuttering?

No. Parenting style and parental behavior do not cause stuttering, although the communication environment can influence a child's fluency.

What are the five components of fluency described by Starkweather?

Continuity, rate, duration, coarticulation, and effort.

What are the core behaviors of stuttering, and how do they differ from typical disfluencies?

Stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs): Part-word repetitions, single-syllable word repetitions, prolongations, and blocks. Other disfluencies (ODs): Interjections, revisions, phrase repetitions, and multisyllabic word repetitions.

What are secondary behaviors associated with stuttering?

Behaviors that develop alongside stuttering, such as eye blinking, head movements, physical tension, escape behaviors, and avoidance.

What is the iceberg analogy of stuttering?

The visible tip represents observable speech behaviors; the larger hidden portion represents internal experiences, such as fear, embarrassment, frustration, and avoidance.

What is Bloodstein's Continuity Hypothesis?

It proposes that early stuttering may initially differ from typical disfluency mainly in degree, while later stuttering can develop more qualitative differences, including tension and secondary behaviors.

What is the difference between a theory and a model?

A theory explains why or how something happens. A model organizes concepts to describe or represent how a process works.

What does the Demands and Capacities Model propose?

Stuttering may occur when a child's demands (motor, linguistic, emotional, or cognitive) exceed their capacities in those areas.

What does the Multifactorial Dynamic Model propose?

Stuttering develops through the interaction of multiple factors that can change over time, rather than one single cause.

What is the Covert Repair Hypothesis?

It proposes that a speaker may detect and attempt to repair an upcoming speech error, potentially contributing to repetitions or other disfluencies.

What does the EXPLAN model emphasize?

It focuses on the relationship between linguistic planning and speech execution; difficulties coordinating these processes may contribute to stuttering.

What is the Diagnosogenic Theory, and how is it viewed today?

It proposed that labeling typical childhood disfluencies as stuttering could cause stuttering. It is not accepted as the primary explanation for stuttering today.

What are the five stages in Guitar's framework?

Normal disfluency, borderline stuttering, beginning stuttering, intermediate stuttering, and advanced stuttering.

How do normal disfluency and borderline stuttering differ?

Normal disfluency: Typical repetitions, interjections, and revisions, usually without tension or concern. Borderline stuttering: May include easy repetitions or prolongations, generally with little tension or awareness.

What characterizes beginning stuttering?

Often includes more rapid or tense repetitions, blocks, emerging awareness, frustration, and possible escape behaviors.

What characterizes intermediate and advanced stuttering?

Intermediate: More tension, avoidance, fear, embarrassment, and awareness. Advanced: More persistent struggle, long or tense blocks, possible tremor, avoidance, and a negative self-concept.

What are the main goals of preschool stuttering assessment?

Determine whether the child stutters, assess severity and impact, identify factors associated with persistence, and understand the child's and family's experiences.

What risk factors may indicate that stuttering will persist?

Male sex, family history of persistent stuttering, later onset, longer duration, and lack of improvement over time. Language or phonological difficulties may also be relevant.

What is the purpose of a parent interview and play observation?

To gather developmental and family history, identify situations that influence fluency, observe parent-child interaction, and understand how stuttering affects daily communication.

What does the 3% guideline mean in preschool assessment?

Around 3% stuttered syllables in a speech sample can be a useful clinical guideline, but it is not sufficient by itself to diagnose stuttering.

What is the KiddyCAT?

A measure of young children's attitudes toward their own speech, using simple yes/no questions.

What is the Weighted Stuttering Index (WSI)?

A measure that combines types and frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies with repetition characteristics and weighted blocks or prolongations to estimate severity.

What are the SSI-4 and TOCS used for?

SSI-4: Measures observable stuttering severity using frequency, duration, and physical concomitants. TOCS: Assesses stuttering in children through tasks such as picture naming, modeled sentences, conversation, and narration.

How does school-age stuttering assessment differ from preschool assessment?

It places greater emphasis on classroom participation, academic impact, communication avoidance, peer reactions, and the child's feelings and goals—not just predicting recovery.

What are IDEA and the OASES-S?

IDEA: U.S. special education law that establishes eligibility and services requirements for students with disabilities. OASES-S: A school-age impact assessment that examines the child's experiences and the effect of stuttering on communication and quality of life.

What should adult stuttering assessment examine beyond frequency?

Covert behaviors, avoidance, fears, beliefs, self-concept, coping strategies, participation, and the effects of stuttering on relationships and work.

What is the ICF framework, and how is it relevant to stuttering?

The International Classification of Functioning framework considers body functions, activities, participation, and environmental and personal factors. It helps clinicians assess stuttering's overall impact on a person's life.

What is the difference between the SSI-4 and OASES-A?

SSI-4: Measures observable stuttering severity. OASES-A: Measures the speaker's experience of stuttering and its impact on daily life and quality of life.

What is the difference between direct and indirect treatment for preschoolers?

Direct treatment: Works directly with the child's speech or stuttering. Indirect treatment: Changes communication-environment factors, such as parent speaking rate, conversational pressure, or interaction patterns.

What is Palin Parent-Child Interaction (Palin PCI)?

A parent-focused approach that supports communication through strategies such as pausing, waiting, adjusting parent speaking rate, and promoting openness and confidence about stuttering.

What are the three phases of the RESTART Demands and Capacities Model?

1. Reduce demands placed on the child. 2. Increase the child's capacities, such as speech-motor, linguistic, or emotional capacities. 3. Use direct fluency techniques if needed.

What is the Lidcombe Program?

A behavioral treatment in which a trained parent delivers verbal contingencies for the child's speech under SLP guidance. Stage I focuses on reducing stuttering; Stage II focuses on maintaining progress and gradually reducing treatment support.

What is fluency shaping (speech modification)?

An approach that aims to reduce stuttering by changing speech production. Techniques may include easy onset, stretching sounds, slowing rate, light articulatory contacts, and pre-voice exhalation.

What is stuttering modification?

An approach that helps speakers change their stuttering so it involves less struggle and tension, while addressing fear, avoidance, and acceptance.

What are the four phases of stuttering modification?

Identification, desensitization, modification, and stabilization.

What are cancellation, pull-out, and preparatory set?

Cancellation: After a stutter, pause and repeat the word with less tension. Pull-out: During a stutter, reduce tension and move out of it. Preparatory set: Before an anticipated stutter, prepare to say the word with less struggle.

What does SMART stand for when writing treatment goals?

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

What are the most important assessment and treatment distinctions to remember?

SLDs vs. ODs: Stuttering-like disfluencies versus other, more typical disfluencies. Prevalence vs. incidence: How many people currently stutter versus how many develop it over time. SSI-4 vs. OASES: Observable severity versus lived impact. Palin PCI vs. RESTART-DCM vs. Lidcombe: Parent-child interaction, demands/capacities, and behavioral treatment. Fluency shaping vs. stuttering modification: Reducing stuttering frequency versus changing the experience and manner of stuttering.