The influence of heredity on the predictor variables of chronic developmental stuttering

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To test if the variable family heredity for chronic developmental stuttering (CDS) is a direct predictor of the speech fluency outcome in children.

Methods

Participants of the study were 200 children, between 2 and 12 years of age, of both genders, with no racial and socioeconomic distinction, diagnosed with a complaint of CDS, and with no language and/or hearing comorbidity, over a period of 5 years. Participants were divided in three study groups (low risk for CDS, moderate risk for CDS, and high risk for CDS) according to the risk indicators determined by the Risk Protocol for Developmental Stuttering. In order to determine the control variable (positive heredity for stuttering), we considered the participant as being affected if he/she presented a first-degree family member (father, mother, siblings) who self-declared themselves as a person who stuttered. All of the participants were assessed according to Risk Protocol for Developmental Stuttering and to The Speech Fluency Profile Assessment.

Results

No significant difference was observed for the demographic variables and for the results on The Fluency Profile Assessment among the groups with mild, moderate and high risk of stuttering when comparing the groups with positive and negative family heredity.

Conclusion

The variable family heredity did not indicate the risk level for the manifestation of stuttering and also did not identify those at risk of presenting CDS.

Keywords:
Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences; Stuttering; Genetics; Heredity; Children