Peer responses to stuttering in the preschool setting.

Full Abstract

PURPOSE: This study investigated peer responses to preschoolers' stuttering in preschool and sought to determine whether specific characteristics of participants' stuttering patterns elicited negative peer responses. METHOD: Four outdoor free-play sessions of 4 preschoolers age 3-4 years who stutter were videotaped. Stutters were identified on transcripts of the play sessions. Peer responses to stuttered utterances were judged to be negative or neutral/positive. Thereafter, participants' stuttering behaviors, durations of stutters, and judgments of the meaningfulness of peer-directed stuttered utterances were analyzed. RESULTS: Between 71.4% and 100% of peer responses were judged to be neutral/positive. In the negative responses across 3 participants, peers were observed to react with confusion or to interrupt, mock, walk away from, or ignore the stuttered utterances. Utterances that elicited negative responses were typically meaningless and contained stutters that were behaviorally complex and/or of longer duration. Other social interaction difficulties also were observed-for example, difficulty leading peers in play, participating in pretend play, and resolving conflicts. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the majority of peer responses to stuttered utterances were neutral/positive; however, results also indicate that stuttering has the potential to elicit negative peer responses and affect other social interactions in preschool.

Author information

Author/s: Langevin, Marilyn (M); Packman, Ann (A); Onslow, Mark (M);

Affiliation: Institute for Stuttering Treatment & Research, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, 1500, 8215-112 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2C8, Canada. marilyn.langevin(-atsign-)ualberta.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: American journal of speech-language pathology / American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (Am J Speech Lang Pathol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 18 (issue 3) : pp 264-76

Dates: Created 2009/07/30; Completed 2009/09/02;

PMID: 19332523, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 9/4/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.