Children who stammer are often negatively stereotyped by other children and by teachers. They can also be easily identified as targets for teasing and bullying by peers. This may adversely affect their interaction levels in school and lower their self-esteem. This article suggests an approach aimed at reducing the development of adverse attitudes…

A three-factor model for the management of early childhood stuttering is proposed that takes into account stuttering's psychosocial, psycholinguistic, and physiological aspects. The primary focus of the present article is the psycholinguistic factor. To this end, a rationale for the use of language-based therapy is presented, together with…

This article explores the connections between conversation demands and the ability of children who stutter to maintain fluency. A model of conversation management useful both in assessment and intervention is introduced. The three-component model considers competencies at the utterance level, suprasegmental level, and discourse level. (Author/JDD)

A question-and-answer format is used in this booklet to provide concise, practical information for adults concerned about a preschool child who frequently hesitates and repeats when speaking. The nature of the preschooler's repetitions and hesitations, as well as the role listeners can play in dealing with these stuttering-like behaviors, are…

The importance of including parents and teachers in the process of therapy for children who stutter is addressed, and viewing intervention along a therapy continuum incorporating both fluency-shaping and stuttering modification philosophies is recommended. Other topics presented include student attitudes and feelings, grouping and scheduling,…

Features of mothers' and fathers' interaction with children who stutter are reviewed, along with results of intervention studies that have included children who stutter and their parents. Similarities and differences in the roles played by fathers and mothers in children's communicative development are discussed, as are implications for clinical…

Ten factors that school clinicians should consider in determining treatment of children who stutter include, among others, increasing clinicians' confidence in treating stuttering, setting long-term and short-term goals, involving parents and teachers in treatment, and determining when the child is ready to be dismissed from treatment. (SW)

Describes a clinical service delivery model for use with African-American children who stutter and their families. The model emphasizes the clinical importance of culture-based factors such as myths, oral presentation styles, narrative discourse styles, and cognitive learning styles, as well as rules for interaction and turn-taking. (Author/DB)

A survey of 241 school-based speech-language pathologists examined numbers of confirmed and suspected concomitant speech/language disorders in children who stutter and the preferred intervention approaches. Of 467 children, 44 percent had a verified concomitant phonological and/or language disorder with additional children suspected of having such…

This article reviews issues in speech motor control and a class of communication disorders known as motor speech disorders that include dysarthrias, apraxia of speech, developmental apraxia of speech, developmental stuttering, acquired (neurogenic and psychogenic) stuttering, and cluttering. Assessment, classification, and treatment of these…

This article discusses diagnostic considerations in identifying coexisting communication disorders and in differentiating between stuttering and secondary fluency disorders related to language formulation. Options for structuring therapy for coexisting problems are evaluated, including blended, lagged, and cycled approaches. Concerns implicit in…

An approach to enlisting the involvement of school personnel in fluency assessment and treatment programs is described. The approach involves observations of students in a variety of academic and social situations and information exchange meetings between clinician and school personnel. A classroom-based fluency program using collaborative service…

The purpose of this program is to simplify and objectify the process of data-gathering and behavior modification involved in diagnosing and treating stuttering and related dysfluency problems. Following an introduction, the assessment process is described; this involves a complete evaluation of the child's speech and language and an assessment of…

This article provides information on stuttering, including the incidence of the disability; the definition of stuttering; the effects of stuttering on daily life activities; the role of the speech-language pathologist in treating stuttering; and the evidence of the benefits of treatment in children and adults. A case study is presented. (CR)

A fluency therapy process for adolescents who stutter is described and illustrated by a case history that applies a four-stage process for structuring, targeting, adjusting, and regulating behaviors. The affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of fluency are considered, along with behavior techniques for eliciting a feeling of fluency…