Development of Stuttering
Development of Stuttering
Development of Stuttering
Unit 2(a,b,c)
CAUSES OF STUTTERING
Theories of stuttering etiology:
These theories describe the conditions under which stuttering first
develops (Bloodstein, 1995).
Five main theories under this category are (1) Theory of Cerebral
Dominance (2) Diagnosogenic Theory (3) Genetic Disorder
Theory (4) Demands and Capacities Theory and (5) Covert Repair
Hypothesis.
(i)Theory of Cerebral Dominance –Travis (1931) proposed this
theory. According to this theory, stuttering may be considered as
an inability to co-ordinate the messages sent from both cerebral
hemispheres for the movement of speech musculature. It also
proposes that one hemisphere is dominant in controlling for the
synchronisation of messages. Hence, in the absence of one
hemisphere dominance, the two hemispheres would function
independently, which may cause poorly coordinated timing of
speech movements and stuttering may be manifested. As this
theory makes a link between cerebral dominance, handedness and
stuttering, it is also sometimes known as the “handedness theory”.
According to Travis (1931), society’s pressure for children to use
the right hand in many activities, ultimately attempted to change
left-handed children’s cerebral dominance, which might lead to
problems like stuttering.
Secondary Behaviours:
Persistent stuttering is associated with secondary characteristics
that define the disorder beyond the speech characteristics
described above. Stutterers learn these behaviours as a
consequence of their effort to finish the core behaviours quickly or
to their effort to avoid them. People who persist in stuttering into
the school age and adult years, often present with facial grimaces,
eye blinking, jaw and neck tension, reduced eye contact, hand
tapping or other extraneous body movements (Conture & Kelly).
These can be broadly classified into two categories:
“Escape behaviour”: occurs when the speaker is stuttering and
attempts to get out of stuttering and finish the word. Eg: eye blink,
head nods or interjection of extra sounds. These often are followed
by the termination of stuttering and are thus rewarded.
“Avoidance behaviour”: occurs when a speaker anticipates
stuttering and tries to keep from stuttering by changing the word,
using pause, or using an eye blink. These are rewarded because
they sometimes prevent a stutterer from stuttering.
Secondary behaviours interfere with the ability of stutterers to
communicate clearly and efficiently with their conversation
partners. People who stutter may also use circumlocution as a
strategy for avoiding speaking words that contain sounds that they
have developed a fear of over their lifetime (Bloodstein, 1995).
REFERENCES:
I. Stuttering- An integrated Approach to its Nature and
Treatment. Barry Guitar. 4th Edition.
II.Stuttering and Related Disorders of Fluency. Edward
G.Conture, Richard E.Curlee. 3rd Edition.
III.A Handbook On Stuttering. Fifth Edition. Oliver
Bloodstein.