Predictors of communication attitude in preschool-age children who stutter

Although preschool-age children who stutter report more negative attitudes toward communication than their typically fluent peers, few investigations have explored factors that may contribute to the differences observed in communication attitude. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether behavioral characteristics of stuttering severity (frequency, duration, physical concomitants) and time since onset of stuttering predict communication attitude in preschool-age children.

Fifty-nine preschool-aged children who stutter completed two speaking samples and the KiddyCAT, a self-report assessment of communication attitude. Speech samples were analyzed for stuttering frequency (measured by percentage of stuttered syllables), duration, and presence of physical concomitants. Linear regression models were used to assess if these behavioral measures of stuttering and time since onset of stuttering predicted self-reported communication attitude.

Results indicate stuttering behavioral measures and time since onset do not predict KiddyCAT scores of preschool-age children who stutter.

Preliminary data suggest children who have presented with stuttering for a longer period of time are no more likely to report a negative communication attitude than children who have a shorter time since onset. Additionally, in contrast to school-age children who stutter, but similar to adults and adolescents who stutter, communication attitude is not linearly related to stuttering severity in preschool-age children.