Social Position and Speaking Competence of Stuttering and Normally Fluent Boys

Abstract

To assess the relation of social position to speaking competence and to determine the stuttering child’s awareness of peer evaluation, ratings of social position and speaking competence were obtained from 24 stuttering boys (12 mild and 12 moderate or severe) in each the third and sixth grade and from 562 of their normally fluent male classmates. Peer ratings, self-estimates of ratings, and reasons for certain ratings also were obtained. No significant differences between groups of stuttering boys were found. Upon comparison with fluent boys, stuttering boys both expected to be and were rated significantly poorer as speakers than were the normally fluent. No significant differences were found, however, between stuttering and fluent boys on social position measures, suggesting that whether or not an elementary-school-age boy stuttered was of minor importance in determining his social role among his peers.