ERIC Number: EJ1368594
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Nov
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: EISSN-1558-9102
Stuttering Behavior in a National Age Cohort of Norwegian First-Graders with Down Syndrome
Hokstad, Silje; Næss, Kari-Anne B.; Yaruss, J. Scott; Hoff, Karoline; Melle, Ane H.; Lervåg, Arne Ola
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v65 n11 p4133-4150 Nov 2022
Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of stuttering behavior across time and to evaluate the relationship between stuttering behavior and language ability in children with Down syndrome. Method: A national age cohort of Norwegian first graders with Down syndrome (N = 75) participated in the study. Speech samples from a story-retelling task and a picture book dialogue as well as standardized measures of vocabulary, grammar, and nonverbal mental ability were collected at two time points approximately 5 months apart. Stuttering behavior was evaluated through counting stuttering-like disfluencies and stuttering severity ratings. The relationship between stuttering behavior and language ability was investigated through hierarchical regression analysis. Results: The participants had stuttering severity ratings ranging from no stuttering behavior to severe and displayed all types of stuttering-like disfluencies. There were significant relationships between stuttering behavior and language ability at the first time point, whereas the relationships were not significant at the second time point. The stuttering severity ratings were significantly predicted by language ability across time, whereas the frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies was not. Conclusions: The occurrence of stuttering behavior was high across the measures and time points; however, the relationship between stuttering behavior and language ability varied across these variables. Thus, the nature of the relationship does not seem to follow a strict pattern that can be generalized to all children across time.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Down Syndrome, Stuttering, Grade 1, Elementary School Students, Student Behavior, Language Skills, Vocabulary, Grammar, Nonverbal Ability, Language Fluency, Cognitive Development
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 1; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Norway
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence; Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A