Predictors of recovery in childhood stuttering

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the individuals who applied to our clinic with the complaint of stuttering and who had improved and persisted from the individuals followed and determined the predictors of improvement in stuttering. Method: The study included 287 stutters between the ages of 2-to-17 years. Sociodemographical and clinical characteristics of recovered and persisted stut-ters were analyzed. Results: 225 stutters were male. Recovery occurred in 58 of the cases during follow-up. Male gender proportion was higher in the recovery group. Recovery group had less sibling count, shorter duration of stuttering, longer duration of parental education, lower rate of accompanying facial mimics and limb movements, and a lower incidence of speech avoidance behaviors. There was no significant difference in other sociodemog-raphic and clinical characteristics between the recovered and persistent stutters. Male gender, shorter stuttering duration, receiving speech therapy, absence of stress factors, longer duration of paternal education, the absence of facial mimics accompanying stuttering and late onset of age were independently associated with recovery from childhood stuttering. Conclusion: The present study suggests that gender, stuttering duration, speech therapy, stress factors, paternal education and accompanying facial mimics are independently associated with recovery from childhood stuttering. Our findings provide information about the factors that determine the improvement of stuttering. However, longer follow-up studies are needed.