Dale F. Williams

Effects of Speech and Language Disorders on Raters' Perceptions.

Using semantic differential scales with nine trait pairs, 465 students at two universities rated five descriptions, one portraying an individual without a disorder and four depicting communicative disorders. Statistical analyses indicated that the descriptions with no disorder and with a language disorder were rated significantly lower in ambition than those depicting stuttering, voice, or articulation disorders. Other differences emerged when the raters were divided by geographical location and age. Location was a significant factor in the responses for the traits of social adjustment, employability, and ambition. Age of respondent correlated significantly with ratings of tension and employability.

Perceptions of communicative disorders: Verification and specification of rater variables

UNLABELLED Using semantic differential scales with nine trait pairs, 600 students at three universities rated five descriptions, one depicting an individual without a disorder and four portraying individuals with communicative disorders. Statistical analyses indicated that the description with no disorder was rated as significantly less ambitious than the described articulation disorder. Other differences emerged when raters were divided by gender and age. Male subjects rated the portrayed individuals as more highly stressed than did females. A significant negative correlation was found for age of respondent and ratings of self-esteem. Results support previous research suggesting that rater gender and age impact perceptions of communicative disorders. LEARNING OUTCOMES As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to: (1) identify the different means by which investigators have studied the stereotyping of people with communicative disorders, (2) discuss how listeners perceive those with and without communicative disorders, and (3) identify listener traits that may be associated with negative perceptions of people with communicative disorders.

Physiologic and aerodynamic events prior to the speech of stutterers and nonstutterers

Abstract The present study was designed to determine whether differences exist between stutterers and nonstutterers in the respiratory, laryngeal, and supralaryngeal events associated with the initiation of fluent, self-generated speech. Toward this end, respiratory, phonatory, and air flow measures were taken from 14 adult male stutterers and 14 nonstutterers prior to the production of phrases in which the initial word was varied. Stutterers presented air flow signals that were different in shape than those of the nonstutterers. In addition, the mean latency between initial speech-associated respiratory and laryngeal movements was significantly greater for the stutterers than for the nonstutterers. Respiratory onset movements also differed. To initiate speech respiration, the nonstutterers typically contracted the abdomen and expanded the rib cage while the stutterers generally contracted both structures. These results appear to indicate differences between the groups in both respiratory and laryngeal functioning.

Cluttering and stuttering exhibited in a young professional

S 18, a young adult professional, was self-referred for stuttering. Assessment indicated deficits consistent with both stuttering and cluttering, including prolongations, syllable repetitions, secondary escape behaviors, rapid speech rate, and poor expressive language. The client had no awareness of cluttering characteristics. Therapy goals included improved breath control, slowed rate, easier onset of articulation, and increased awareness of speech. Progress toward therapeutic goals was consistent. However, his motivation decreased as therapy progressed. He was discharged from direct treatment after 13 months, at which time he could employ therapeutic techniques to improve his fluency and intelligibility when speech was disordered.

The Child Who Stutters Guidelines for the Educator

Suttering is a speech fluency disorder affecting 5% of children at some point during language development (Guitar, 1998), usually beginning between the ages of two and five (Andrews et al., 1983). As a result, it is a condition confronted by prekindergarten, kindergarten, and early elementary teachers, some of whom are unsure how to help (Williams, 1998). For example, wondering whether to call on the child who stutters and how to handle the teasing he* receives are but two areas of uncertainty for the teacher. No easy answers exist, in part because stuttering is such a highly individualized disorder (Bloodstein, 1981; Starkweather, 1987). Still, there is general advice that can help both teachers and children who stutter.