PURPOSE:
to compare fluency in oral reading and spontaneous speech among children who stutter and who do not stutter regarding to frequency and typology of disfluencies, and speech rate.
METHODS:
40 participants between 8 and 11 years old of both genders, divided in two groups: experimental, composed by 20 children who stutter (CWS), and control with 20 children who do not stutter (CWNS). The data were gathered through the assessment of speech fluency in oral reading and spontaneous speech, by a Fluency Test.
RESULTS:
in oral reading the groups showed statistical difference for frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) (p=0,038) and total of disfluencies (p=0,023), which CWS showed higher frequency. In spontaneous speech for all variables analyzed, the differences were statistically significant. Regarding the disfluencies for the reading and speech, CWS showed higher frequency. The flow of syllables and words per minute were higher for CWNS in speech, and for the CWS in the reading.
CONCLUSION:
the oral reading of CWS and CWNS was similar regarding to the percentage of other disfluencies, flow of syllables and words per minute and, the typologies of other disfluencies and stuttering-like disfluencies. However, CWS showed higher occurrence of stuttering-like disfluencies and total of disfluencies. In the spontaneous speech the groups showed differences regarding the total of disfluencies, other disfluencies and stuttering-like disfluencies and flow of syllables and words per minute. Repetition of word, part of word and sound, prolongation, block and intrusion were the typologies that occur more frequent in the CWS.
Stuttering; Reading; Speech; Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences; Evaluation; Child
