PURPOSE: to check the understanding of current students (those who are in 3rd and 4th year) and Speech-Language Pathology professionals about the concepts of fluency and dysfluency, the components and aspects that affect fluency and the sorts of speech dysfluency. METHODS: 107 questionnaires were applied in a sample of 57 professionals and 50 students of Speech-Language Pathology. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were applied to open questions and quantitative analysis was applied to multiple-choice questions. RESULTS: more than 20 analytic factors were identified for each open answer, but no factor was mentioned by the great majority of subjects. Most cited fluency component was speech rate. Psychological factors such as anxiety and introversion-extraversion are among the more quoted factors that affect fluency level. The three sorts of dysfluency which were more categorized as stuttered were blocks, initial prolongations and defense behaviors. There were not significant statistical differences between students' and professionals' answers. Increase in professional practice has changed some answers. CONCLUSION: the subjects: 1) have revealed an ideal concept of fluency ("speech free from disruptions"), 2) have considered dysfluency as some kind of disorder and not as a speech inherent event, 3) have considered speech rate, not dysfluency, as fluency's most important component, 4) have considered psychological factors, mainly anxiety, as the factors that have the major impact on fluency level (language, cognitive and genetic factors would have a secondary importance) and 5) have classified dysfluency according to scientific literature.
Language; Stuttering; Concept Formation; Professional Practice
