INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CONTENT WORDS LEADING TO LIFESPAN DIFFERENCES IN PHONOLOGICAL DIFFICULTY IN STUTTERING

Area of Science:

• Speech and Language Pathology
• Developmental Psychology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Stuttering is a complex speech disorder influenced by various linguistic and developmental factors.
• Understanding how phonological complexity affects stuttering across the lifespan is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of phonological difficulty, specifically late-emerging consonants (LEC) and consonant strings (CS), on stuttering frequency.
• To examine how these phonological factors influence stuttering across different age groups: children, teenagers, and adults.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of stuttering frequency in content and function words based on the presence and position of LEC and CS.
• Statistical analysis using the Friedman statistic to compare stuttering ratios across age groups and phonological conditions.

Main Results:

• The occurrence rates of LEC and CS varied significantly across the studied age groups.
• Stuttering frequency remained elevated in adult speakers when words contained both CS and LEC, particularly in word-initial positions.

Conclusions:

• Phonological factors, specifically consonant clusters and late-emerging consonants, play a significant role in modulating stuttering frequency across the lifespan.
• Findings support theories explaining developmental changes in stuttering patterns throughout life.