The Speech-Associated Attitude of Children Who Do and Do Not Stutter and the Differential Effect of Age

Abstract

Fifty-five Flemish children, ages 6 to 13, who stuttered and 55 who did not were the subjects of a two (group) by eight (age) factorial investigation of their response to a Dutch translation of the Communication Attitude Test (C.A.T.). The main effect results confirmed previous C.A.T. findings that, as early as age 6, children who stutter exhibit significantly more in the way of a negative speech-associated attitude than their peers do. In addition, the between-group difference in attitude diverged with age. The C.A.T. scores increased for those who stuttered and decreased for the normally fluent children. These data suggest that the attitude of the two groups of children was differentially affected by their speech-related experience history. It follows from this, and the other findings of the study, that the attitude toward speech of children who stutter warrants early clinical consideration and attention.