Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques
Published on: June 30, 2020
Language abilities of children who stutter: a meta-analytical review
Katerina Ntourou1, Edward G Conture, Mark W Lipsey
1Vanderbilt Univesity, Nashville, TN, USA. katerina.ntourou@vanderbilt.edu
Purpose:
To identify, integrate, and summarize evidence from empirical studies of the language abilities of children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS).
Method:
Candidate studies were identified through electronic databases, the tables of contents of speech-language journals, and reference lists of relevant articles and literature reviews. The 22 included studies met the following criteria: studied both children who did and did not stutter between ages 2;0 (years;months) and 8;0, and reported norm-referenced language measures and/or measures from spontaneous language samples amenable to effect size calculation. Data were extracted using a coding manual and were assessed by application of general and specialized analytical software. Mean difference effect size was estimated using Hedges's g (Hedges, 1982).
Results:
Findings indicated that CWS scored significantly lower than CWNS on norm-referenced measures of overall language (Hedges's g = -0.48), receptive (Hedges's g = -0.52) and expressive vocabulary (Hedges's g = -0.41), and mean length of utterance (Hedges's g = -0.23).
Conclusions:
Present findings were taken to suggest that children's language abilities are potentially influential variables associated with childhood stuttering.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language and Cognition
01:22Language Development
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
01:25Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...