Laiho Auli, Klippi Anu
Department of Speech Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2007 May-Jun;42(3):367-82. doi: 10.1080/13682820600939028.
It is widely known that most young children recover from stuttering. Evaluations of this spontaneous recovery vary from 40 to 80% of stuttering children. However, if the child is already older than 6 years of age, the spontaneous recovery will be less likely. The effectiveness of stuttering treatment, and especially fluency shaping methods, has been frequently studied. Good results in the treatment of stuttering for school-aged children have been accomplished by several treatment methods. However, stuttering modification treatments have not been studied so intensively.
This study addresses the effects of intensive therapy courses on the stuttering behaviour of children and adolescents. The courses included speech therapy, where stuttering modification treatment was used, and also parental guidance.
METHODS & PROCEDURES: Taking part in the study were 21 children/adolescents who stutter, and 29 of their mothers/fathers took part in the study. The children were between the ages of 6.8 and 14.0 years. The effectiveness of therapy was evaluated in three ways. First, the speech of the children who stutter was videotaped at both the beginning and the end of the course and the samples were transcribed and analysed. Second, the parents and adolescents completed a feedback questionnaire at the end of the course. And third, the parents and adolescents completed a follow-up questionnaire 9 months after the course. The aim was to evaluate the changes in stuttering behaviour after the therapy course.
OUTCOMES & RESULTS: The results indicate that stuttering severity became milder or did not change during the course. The percentage of syllables stuttered dropped with two-thirds of the participants. This result was replicated with avoidance behaviour and struggle behaviour. The quality of stuttering became milder, and by the end many children had shorter moments of stuttering and more repetitions and prolongation instead of blocks. Two participants did not complete the questionnaire. Of those who did, all but one adolescent, and all except one parent, reported that the positive changes in stuttering behaviour had continued during the follow-up period.
The implication is that intensive therapy courses can be helpful to some participants who stutter.
众所周知，大多数幼儿的口吃会自愈。对口吃自愈情况的评估显示，40%至80%的口吃儿童能够自愈。然而，如果孩子已经超过6岁，那么自愈的可能性就会降低。口吃治疗的有效性，尤其是流畅性塑造方法，已经得到了频繁研究。几种治疗方法在学龄儿童口吃治疗中取得了良好效果。然而，口吃矫正治疗尚未得到如此深入的研究。
本研究探讨强化治疗课程对儿童和青少年口吃行为的影响。这些课程包括言语治疗，其中采用了口吃矫正治疗，还包括家长指导。
21名口吃儿童/青少年参与了本研究，他们的29位母亲/父亲也参与了研究。这些儿童年龄在6.8岁至14.0岁之间。从三个方面评估治疗效果。首先，在课程开始和结束时对口吃儿童的言语进行录像，并对样本进行转录和分析。其次，家长和青少年在课程结束时完成一份反馈问卷。第三，家长和青少年在课程结束9个月后完成一份随访问卷。目的是评估治疗课程后口吃行为的变化。
结果表明，在课程期间口吃严重程度减轻或没有变化。三分之二的参与者口吃音节的百分比下降。回避行为和挣扎行为也出现了同样的结果。口吃的严重程度减轻，到课程结束时，许多儿童的口吃时间缩短，更多地出现重复和延长而非阻塞。两名参与者未完成问卷。在完成问卷的人中，除一名青少年外，所有青少年以及除一名家长外的所有家长都报告说，口吃行为的积极变化在随访期间持续存在。
这意味着强化治疗课程对一些口吃参与者可能有帮助。
