Abstract  - Janeiro a Julho de 2026

 

 

   

 

 

A case report: celiac disease and pediatric stuttering - AVALIAÇÃO

Case Reports Turk J Pediatr. 2025 Dec 24;67(6):892-895.

Free article: https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/6395

 

Birce İzgi Akçay et al

Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye; Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.

 

Background: Celiac disease is an immune-mediated disorder known to manifest not only with gastrointestinal symptoms but also with a wide range of extraintestinal features, including neuropsychiatric conditions.

Case presentation: We describe the case of a 4-year-old girl who presented with isolated stuttering. Serologic tests revealed elevated anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies, and a diagnosis of celiac disease was confirmed by duodenal biopsy. A strict gluten-free diet was initiated. The patient's speech disorder began to improve by the sixth month of treatment and resolved completely by the twelfth month of dietary adherence.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of considering celiac disease in the differential diagnosis of speech disorders in pediatric patients, especially when no other underlying cause is identified.

PMID: 41636189 DOI: 10.24953/turkjpediatr.2025.6395

 

 

 

A descriptive phenomenological exploration of how people who stutter experience the U.S. labor force - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 5:88:106201 Online ahead of print.

 

Cody W Dew & Rodney M Gabel

Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA.

 

Purpose: Stuttering can lead to negative workplace experiences; however, there remain gaps in understanding the breadth of experiences people who stutter have throughout key stages of labor force participation (e.g., applying and interviewing, beginning a new job, maintaining a position, establishing professional relationships, and seeking promotion). The current study bridges this gap by exploring the experiences of people who stutter when participating in the U.S. labor force.

Method: This study utilized a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the essential experiences of adults who stutter throughout labor force participation. Ten adult participants who stutter currently employed in the U.S. labor force were recruited and engaged in semi-structured interviews about their personal experiences. Transcript data were thematically analyzed to develop themes and subthemes reflecting prevalent experiences.

Results: Four themes emerged that characterized participants' experiences throughout labor force participation, highlighting the central role of internal experiences alongside supportive, ambiguous, and exclusionary workplace actions. Internal experiences were described by participants as having the greatest influence on the quality of working life. Adverse workplace actions, while widely recognized, were described as occurring less frequently than supportive or ambiguous experiences.

Conclusion: Findings describe participants' labor force experiences as shaped not only by workplace actions, but also by their internal experiences in response to those actions.

PMID: 41687246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106201

 

 

 

A multicultural perspective of stuttering in the workplace - SOCIAL

J Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr:120. Epub 2026 Jan 18.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021992426000134?via%3Dihub

 

Angela M Medina et al

Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA; Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana, USA.

 

Purpose: It is well-documented that people who stutter face inequities and discrimination in the workplace; however, there exists a gap in the literature regarding what the workplace is like for people who stutter with intersecting, marginalized identities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the workplace experiences of culturally diverse people who stutter (CDPWS) through the lens of the intersectional ecological framework.

Methods: Qualitative methods were adopted for the collection and analysis of data. The seven participants in this study completed an online questionnaire and participated in a semi-structured focus group. Transcripts generated from the focus group were investigated using thematic analysis procedures.

Results: The data gave rise to five major themes as well as multiple subthemes: (1) Disclosure at work, (2) Career-specific challenges, (3) Motivations for choosing career, (4) Intersectionality, and (5) Roles of others in the workplace.

Conclusion: This study offers a novel view of the workplace experiences of CDPWS by adopting qualitative methods and using the intersectional ecological framework to enhance thematic analysis findings. While the workplace-based concerns revealed in this study are similar to those described in previous literature, a major difference was the sentiment that CDPWS bring two types of "baggage" to their jobs, their stuttering and their race/ethnicity. The findings of this study have clinical implications for the imperativeness of having open conversations with clients about the identities that intersect with their stuttering and how this impacts them in different aspects of their lives, including the workplace.

PMID: 41570754 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106628

 

 

 

A professional perspective on EBP in stuttering: How far have we come in 20 years? - CONCEITO

Review J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106171. Epub 2025 Nov 17.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000737?via%3Dihub

 

Nan Bernstein Ratner & Shelley B Brundage

University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; George Washington University, Washington, DC , USA.

 

This article reviews a critique by Bernstein Ratner (2005) to identify progress made in applying EBP to stuttering intervention and areas in which less progress has been observed. Among indices of progress are plentiful basic science and therapy outcomes reports, broader views of effectiveness, and increased representation of people who stutter in program development and evaluation. Among concerns we discuss are: (1) continued disconnects between basic science to understand the nature of stuttering and the therapies we employ with our clients; (2) a need for better understanding of causal mechanisms and mediators of change in stuttering interventions; and (3) specific challenges that make it difficult to know if therapies for early stuttering work significantly better than spontaneous recovery. We also discuss the (4) merits of broadening goals for preschool-aged children and their families; and (5) discuss potential negative ramifications of weakly supported interventions and recommendations for children whose stuttering persists past preschool. We conclude with a section on (6) important questions and populations that we believe remain under- investigated.

PMID: 41313921 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106171

 

 

 

A Proof-of-Concept Study of Gamified Rhythmic Training in Preadolescents Who Stutter - PSICOMOTOR

Randomized Controlled Trial Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2026 Mar. Epub 2026 Jan.

Full text: https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/nyas.70188

 

Kevin Jamey et al

Centre for Research on Brain, Montreal, Québec, Canada; Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada; Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada; VIZJA University, Warsaw, Poland.

 

Stuttering is a developmental speech fluency disorder linked to timing deficits in speech motor control. Given the shared neural mechanisms between rhythmic timing and speech production, rhythm-based interventions may hold promise for stuttering. This proof-of-concept study evaluated the feasibility and potential benefits of a gamified rhythmic training program, Rhythm Workers (RW), in preadolescents who stutter. Twenty-one children (aged 9-12) were randomly assigned to RW or an active control game, which they played at home for 3 weeks. We assessed feasibility and potential training effects on rhythmic, cognitive, and speech-related abilities. Both games were well accepted, and compliance was moderate to high. Only participants trained on the rhythm game showed moderate enhancements in rhythmic synchronization, interference control, oromotor performance, and reduction of stuttering after training. The improvements (except for interference control) correlated with the training dose. Moreover, speech fluency gains were associated with improved rhythmic performance. While some effects did not reach statistical significance due to the limited sample size, the observed dose-response patterns and domain-specific improvements support the feasibility and promise of rhythmic gaming for young people who stutter. This study provides preliminary evidence that rhythm-based training can enhance speech and cognitive outcomes in preadolescents who stutter.

PMID: 41528059 PMCID: PMC12970955 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.70188

 

 

 

A qualitative study of the developmental process of professional identity of nurses who stutter-Narratives of a nurse at career maturity: An analysis using the trajectory equifinality approach - SOCIAL

Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2026 Jan;23(1):e70041. doi: 10.1111/jjns.70041.

 

Akiko Yano ET AL

Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Oita, Japan; Teikyo University, Fukuoka, Japan; Shonan University of Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan.

 

Objectives: The lived experiences and challenges faced by nurses who stutter (NWS) have largely remained unvoiced and overlooked. This study aimed to describe the developmental process of professional identity among these nurses while also identifying pivotal experiences and significant others that could be relevant to other NWS.

Methods: The Trajectory Equifinality Approach, a qualitative research method, was employed. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with a nurse possessing 14 years of clinical experience. A Trajectory Equifinality Modeling diagram was developed to visually represent the participant's sequence of lived experiences, emotional responses, and key interactions with significant others.

Results: The following three initiatives were identified as crucial for NWS to develop their professional identity: (1) Aspiring to become a nurse and addressing their stuttering directly, (2) Identifying personal strengths and pursuing career advancement with ambition, and (3) Releasing oneself from the captivity of stuttering and building a fulfilling career. Notably, during their early career stages, nursing faculty, senior nurses and nurse managers were identified as significant others supporting NWS, and their roles were elucidated.

Conclusion: It is suggested that this process leads to the integration of their experiences as both nurses and individuals who stutter, ultimately resulting in a more fulfilling and enriched nursing practice.

PMID: 41545300 DOI: 10.1111/jjns.70041

 

 

 

An investigation of the effectiveness of bihemispheric tDCS on speech fluency in individuals with stuttering - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 9:88:106202. Online ahead of print.

 

Feyzanur Ocak et al

Usküdar University, Istanbul, Turkey; Biruni University, Istanbul, Turkey;  Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes frequent disruptions in speech flow and affects individuals' lives in many aspects. Recent research on the effectiveness of neuromodulation interventions in stuttering suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can potentially reduce stuttering symptoms, although it is not clear what the optimal stimulation parameters are, and which specific outcomes benefit from tDCS. 36 individuals with stuttering (32 males, 4 females) completed a randomized, double-blind, sham controlled study. Nineteen participants received 1 mA stimulation for 20 min daily while temporarily achieving speech fluency with metronome-timed speech, while the remaining seventeen participants received the same fluency intervention coupled with sham stimulation. tDCS was delivered with a bihemispheric montage: anodal left inferior frontal gyrus and cathodal right inferior frontal gyrus. Both groups received the interventions for a period of 5 consecutive days. Fluency was assessed while reading and while speaking at baseline, at the end of the 5-day intervention, on each day of the intervention (before and after stimulation), and 1 week after the end of the intervention. Primary and secondary analyses showed no sustained tDCS advantage over sham for percentage of syllables stuttered (%SS) in reading or speaking, or the SSI-4 and OASES subdomains at the end of treatment or at 1-week follow-up. Exploratory within-day analyses, indicated session-bound tDCS benefits for %SS in both reading and speaking. These findings provide limited evidence that tDCS can enhance fluency in the short term, while also underscoring the need for further research to explore its potential long-term benefits.

PMID: 41687247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106202

 

 

 

Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Demonstrate Increased Disfluency in Spontaneous Speech but Not in Reading - TERAPIA

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jan-Feb;61(1):e70184.

 

Marie Van Gaever & Kurt Eggers

Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Thomas More University College, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

Purpose: This study aimed to analyse the frequency and types of disfluencies in spontaneous speech and reading among adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical adults.

Method: The participants were 56 Dutch-speaking adults, 28 with ASD and 28 age- and gender-matched controls. Samples of spontaneous speech and text reading were orthographically transcribed, and the speech disfluencies were identified and classified, using an expanded version of the Illinois Disfluency Classification System. The frequencies of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs), other disfluencies (ODs), word-final disfluencies (WFDs), and total disfluencies (TDs) were calculated.

Results: Adults with ASD exhibited significantly more SLDs and WFDs in spontaneous speech than the control group. While no statistically significant differences were observed between both groups in reading, a trend towards increased WFDs was noted.

Conclusions: Adults with ASD exhibit increased speech disfluencies, more specific SLDs and WFDs, in spontaneous speech, than neurotypical adults, but not during reading. This discrepancy may arise because spontaneous speech requires real-time language formulation and social communication skills, which can differ in ASD, whereas reading offers an external linguistic structure that reduces cognitive and social processing demands. Increased speech disfluencies may impact how speech is perceived in terms of intelligibility and/or social communication dynamics.

PMID: 41457448 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70184

 

 

 

Advances in stuttering research and discourse: A preface to the selected papers from the 2024 World Congress on Stuttering and Cluttering - CONCEITO

Editorial J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106190. Epub 2026 Jan 10.

Free Text: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000920?via%3Dihub

 

Katie L Winters & Dillon G Pruett

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.

 

No abstract available

PMID: 41539879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106190

 

 

 

Amelioration of acquired stuttering following thalamic deep brain stimulation - GAGUEIRA ADQUIRIDA

Case Reports J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106174. Epub 2025 Nov 19.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000762?via%3Dihub

 

Phoebe Matthews et al

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand; Neurological Institute of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand; Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar; Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

 

Purpose: Stuttering is a speech disorder that can have debilitating effects on quality of life. We present a case report of a patient with near complete resolution of acquired stuttering following thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor. A literature review of neuromodulation for both developmental and acquired stuttering is presented with proposed insights into the pathophysiology of acquired stuttering.

Method: A case report of a patient with acquired stuttering receiving thalamic DBS for essential tremor is presented. Clinical data on their stuttering severity and its impact on quality of life was prospectively collected before and six months after thalamic DBS for their essential tremor. Additional data on tremor severity, mood, cognition and overall quality of life are presented.

Results: At six months follow-up, there were significant improvements in the patient's tremor and overall quality of life (as expected). There was also near complete resolution of their acquired stuttering and a resultant improvement in voice-related quality of life.

Conclusion: This case report details a patient with near complete resolution of acquired stuttering following thalamic deep brain stimulation for essential tremor. The Vim nucleus of the thalamus may play an important role in the pathophysiology of acquired stuttering. Additional studies will be needed to confirm the usefulness of thalamic DBS in acquired stuttering.

PMID: 41308273 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106174

 

 

 

Attention, Executive Functions, and Speech Disfluencies in Stuttering and Nonstuttering Individuals: A Scoping Review - ATENÇÃO

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Mar 12;69(3):961-980. Epub 2026 Feb 3.

 

Gizem Aslan, Delphine Vanden Berghe, Kurt Eggers

Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Speech-Language Therapy and Audiology, Thomas More, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

Purpose: Attention and executive functions (EFs) have been hypothesized to play a regulatory role in speech planning and production, thereby influencing the occurrence of speech disfluencies. This scoping review examined evidence on the relationship between attention, EFs, and speech disfluencies in persons who stutter (PWS), persons who do not stutter (PWNS), and PWNS with other conditions (PWNS + C), where attention or EFs are impacted.

Method: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, searches were conducted in Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus using inclusive terms for attention, EFs, and speech disfluencies. Data extracted included study and participant characteristics, speech sample types, disfluency types, cognitive components assessed, instruments used, and findings on cognitive-disfluency associations. Out of 4,233 records screened, 51 studies were included.

Results: Inhibitory control and working memory consistently emerged as key cognitive components linked to disfluency frequency, while cognitive flexibility and specific attention subdomains remain underexplored. In PWS, dual-task paradigms revealed paradoxical fluency improvements under increased cognitive load, suggesting dysregulated monitoring mechanisms. PWNS showed increased disfluencies primarily under high cognitive demands. PWNS + C exhibited broader regulatory deficits affecting fluency, highlighting reliance on domain-general cognitive control systems.

Conclusions: Findings from this review underscore the role of attention and EFs, particularly inhibitory control and working memory, in speech fluency across populations. Dual-task paradigms highlight that cognitive load does not consistently disrupt fluency but interacts with individual cognitive profiles and task demands. Future research could benefit from adopting multimodal, ecologically valid methods to explain how attention and EFs contribute to fluent speech.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31079509.

PMID: 41632037 DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00224

 

 

 

Brain stimulation in stuttering: Participant experiences with transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106187. Epub 2025 Dec 7.

 

Feyzanur Ocak  & Özlem Oğuz

Üsküdar University, Istanbul, Turkey.

 

There is growing interest in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in stuttering therapy. However, limited information is available on how such innovative interventions are perceived by target participants. The aim of this study was to qualitatively examine the acceptability and social validity of tDCS in individuals with developmental stuttering in the context of participants' experiences and perceptions of the intervention process and changes in their social lives. The study was based on semi-structured interviews with 10 adults with developmental stuttering who had previously participated in the active tDCS stimulation group. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five main themes were identified: (1) reasons for participation; (2) perception of the intervention and emotional responses; (3) experiences related to the intervention process; (4) perceived effects of tDCS and (5) recommendations for the future. Participants reported temporary fluency improvements and increased self-confidence, emphasizing that the intervention was generally manageable and acceptable. These subjective evaluations offer insight into how tDCS was experienced without implying clinical efficacy. Results should be interpreted with caution, as interviews were conducted without blinding and responses may have been influenced by social desirability or complicity bias. Importantly, despite prior quantitative measurements from the same intervention showing no significant objective improvements in speech fluency, participants still described positive subjective experiences. This contrast between quantitative outcomes and experiential reports highlights the importance of incorporating individuals' perceptions into evaluations of novel therapeutic approaches. Particip

PMID: 41380503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106187

 

 

 

Comparison of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in Adults with and without Stuttering: Exploring the Relationship between FoMO and Psychological Resilience - EMOCIONAL

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2025 Nov 27.

 

Vildan Şen & Nurcan Alpüran Kocabıyık

Harmoni Speech, Language and Development Center, Istanbul, Turkey; University of Istanbul Kent, Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) refers to the anxiety of missing potential experiences or opportunities. This study examined FoMO levels between people who stutter (PWS) and people who do not stutter (PWNS), explored the relationship between FoMO and psychological resilience in PWS and PWNS, and assessed the influence of age and gender on FoMO. The sample of this study consisted of 145 adults, including 65 PWS, 80 PWNS. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Fear of Missing Out Scale for University Students, and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS 26.0 with a multivariate Generalized Linear Model (GLM) and correlation analyses. PWS scored significantly higher in the social dimension of FoMO, suggesting that PWS may experience greater anxiety about missing out in social contexts compared to PWNS. No significant differences were found between PWS and PWNS in terms of their total or private FoMO scores. Age and gender did not significantly affect FoMO scores. In contrast, PWS exhibited significantly lower psychological resilience compared to PWNS. While age had no significant impact on resilience, gender showed a significant effect on resilience in both groups. Men had significantly higher levels of psychological resilience than women. Additionally, a negative correlation was observed between FoMO and psychological resilience in both groups, suggesting that higher FoMO is associated with lower resilience. These results underscore the importance of addressing social challenges faced by PWS and enhancing psychological resilience through targeted psychosocial interventions. Promoting inclusive social participation may help mitigate FoMO-related anxiety and improve overall well-being in PWS.

PMID: 41330114 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106185

 

 

 

Concurrent cognitive load and lexical-semantic similarity judgments for action verbs and object nouns in Persian-speaking adults who stutter - LINGUAGEM

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106176. Epub 2025 Nov 19.

 

Tabassom Azimi et al

Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol Iran; University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran; University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.

 

Purpose: This study examined whether lexical-semantic processing of action verbs versus object nouns is differentially affected by concurrent cognitive load in Persian-speaking adults who stutter (AWS), compared with adults who do not stutter (AWNS), using a dual-task paradigm.

Methods: Twenty-nine AWS and 29 matched AWNS performed a Semantic Similarity Judgment Task (SSJT) while simultaneously completing a tone-decision task. Tones were presented at short or long stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) relative to SSJT onset. SSJT stimuli included action verbs and non-action nouns. Reaction times (RTs) and accuracy were recorded.

Results: AWS exhibited slower overall RTs than AWNS (p = .04). A significant Group × Task interaction (p = .03) and Group × Task × SOA interaction (p = .04) revealed greater dual-task costs for AWS on the tone task, particularly under high cognitive load. Moreover, a significant group difference in SSJT RTs was observed (p = .03), especially for action verbs at short SOA (p = .04).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that AWS are more susceptible to interference from concurrent cognitive demands and may require greater attentional resources for processing action verbs. This highlights the role of cognitive-linguistic interactions in stuttering and the potential influence of cognitive load on speech fluency.

PMID: 41274231 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106176

 

 

 

Content validity of AI-generated stuttering assessment and intervention programs based on expert review: A comparative analysis across age groups and language versions - AVALIAÇÃO

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2025 Dec 3.

 

Ayşe Nur Koçak & Melis Buse Arslan

Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey; İstanbul Atlas University, Anadolu University, İstanbul, Turkey.

 

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the content validity and inter-rater reliability of stuttering assessment and intervention programs generated by artificial intelligence (GPT-4) in both Turkish and English for preschool, school-age, and adult populations. It also examined whether linguistic or cultural differences affected expert evaluations.

Methods: Twelve AI-generated programs (six in Turkish, six in English) were reviewed by twelve certified speech-language pathologists specializing in fluency disorders. Each item was rated using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's Alpha, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess consistency and reliability.

Results: The majority of items were rated as appropriate or highly appropriate (M = 4.6-4.9). The overall reliability among raters was poor (ICC = 0.45), while single-rater reliability was higher (ICC = 0.65). Only a small number of items were flagged for revision, typically involving emotional or contextual components. Experts noted that English versions tended to be more detailed and literature-consistent, whereas certain Turkish terms required clearer cultural adaptation.

Conclusion: GPT-4 can produce clinically relevant and linguistically accurate stuttering materials when paired with expert review. However, human validation remains essential to refine affective and culture-specific elements. These findings support the integration of AI-assisted tools in multilingual clinical content development.

PMID: 41353877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106186

 

 

 

Development of a stand-alone eHealth treatment: iCamperdown

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106189. Epub 2025 Dec 16.
Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000919?via%3Dihub

 

Constance Alateras et al
University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Private Practice (Brenda Carey Speech Pathology), Australia.

 

Purpose: eHealth treatments have been developed for a range of conditions. They provide an accessible, cost-effective, and convenient model for clients and families to access treatment. The aim of this paper is to provide details and results of user testing of an eHealth speech treatment for adults who stutter: iCamperdown.

Method: An iterative user-testing process was conducted using a think-aloud method and structured questionnaires. End users were adults who stutter and speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Results: Based on user feedback, the program underwent several modifications. Changes made to the program included functional enhancements. These include automatic activation of audio instructions on each page to improve navigation, aesthetic modifications to improve acceptability such as rearranging of information, changes to instructions provided to users to improve clarity, and enhancing the quality of audio recordings to increase efficiency.

Conclusion: The iCamperdown program is now ready to be evaluated with a Phase I clinical trial, focussing on evaluating safety, compliance, and preliminary outcomes. Further clinical trialing could investigate baseline predictors and treatment moderators to identify which individuals are most likely to benefit from the program. iCamperdown has advantages and disadvantages, which we explore. We explore the prospect of automating iCamperdown with advanced machine learning techniques. Potentially, the iCamperdown Program for stuttering reduction, with translation into other world languages besides English, could be a transformative change to SLP practices internationally.

PMID: 41418562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106189

 

 

 

Developmental stuttering with common and complex phenotypes - CONCEITO

Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026 Feb 23. Online ahead of print.

 

Sarah E Horton et al

Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

 

Aim: To describe the phenotypic spectrum associated with stuttering.

Method: Individuals with current or resolved developmental stuttering self-referred. Surveys assessed stuttering characteristics (onset, negative impact, family history) and health (early development, other conditions). Speech and non-verbal intelligence were assessed using conversation and the Wechsler standardized scales. Sample sizes varied across assessments (n = 266-327). Latent class analysis identified unobserved groups based on assessment data.

Results: A total of 327 participants (231 male, 71%) with a median age of 57 years (range: 5-90 years) were recruited, 282 of 296 (95%) with current stuttering and 14 of 296 (5%) with resolved stuttering. Onset was 4 years or younger for 187 of 322 (58%) participants; 207 of 325 (64%) had a positive family history of stuttering, 58 of 325 (18%) had developmental delay, and 38 of 264 (14%) had below average non-verbal intelligence. Common co-occurring conditions included sleep, hearing, vision, and immune conditions, migraine, anxiety, and depression. Analysis revealed two groups: 295 of 327 (90%) participants had the common phenotype and 32 of 327 (10%) had a complex phenotype, with more severe stuttering, greater negative impact of stuttering, more frequent anxiety, lower non-verbal intelligence, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Interpretation: Phenotypic analysis of a large cohort of who stutter identified 90% with a common phenotype and 10% with a complex phenotype. Both had co-occurring disorders requiring multidisciplinary support.

PMID: 41725598 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.70208

 

 

 

Differential impacts of stuttering and stressful life events on the well-being of children: A comparative analysis - AMBIENTE

Comparative Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

 

Molly M Jacobs et al

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to expand upon contributors to negatively impacted well-being among children who stutter (CWS) by examining the outcomes of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and determining the influence of stuttering and stressful life events in children on negatively impacted well-being.

Method: Data from 6122 children aged 3-17 years in the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) included parent-reported stuttering in the past 12 months, prior experiences of eight stressful life events (SLEs), and a 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine if well-being was mediated by SLEs among CWS testing the hypothesis that SLEs exacerbate the negative influence of stuttering on well-being.

Results: Average SDQ total scores were higher for CWS compared to children who do not stutter (CWNS). CWS also had higher average SDQ subscale scores as well. After controlling for baseline differences, CWS had significantly higher SDQ total and subscale scores. With each additional SLE, the SDQ total and subscale scores increased as well, but interaction terms showed that the impact of SLEs did not differ between CWS and CWNS. Mediation analysis supported these findings indicating that less than 10 % of the direct effect of stuttering on well-being was mediated by SLEs.

Conclusions: Using the SDQ as a measure of well-being, this study showed that CWS experienced significantly more difficulties relative to CWNS and that these differences were not mediated by SLEs.

PMID: 41547044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106196

 

 

 

Effect of Prolonged Speech Technique on a Tamil Speaking Adolescent with Stuttering - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Indian J Pediatr. 2026 Mar;93(3):304. Epub 2026 Jan 23.

Free text: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-025-05970-4

 

Vasupradaa Manivannan & R P Srijaa

JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru-04, Karnataka, India.

 

No abstract available
PMID: 41575635 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-025-05970-4

 

 

 

Effects of stuttering and sound avoidance on reference production and memory - PROCESSUAL

Appl Psycholinguist. 2026 Feb 12:47:e3. eCollection 2026

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12926730/pdf/S0142716425100428a.pdf.

 

Si On Yoon et al

New York University, New York, NY, USA; University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, USA.

 

Adults who stutter (AWS) frequently engage in language monitoring to anticipate and manage stuttering. This linguistic monitoring may reallocate cognitive resources, with potential consequences for language production and memory. We investigated whether AWS' increased monitoring during production imposes dual-task costs that limit encoding benefits, or whether it enhances memory through deeper conceptual engagement. Thirty-two AWS and sixty-four adults who do not stutter (AWNS) completed a referential communication task in which they described or identified pictures with an experimenter. To simulate AWS' linguistic monitoring, half of the AWNS performed a simultaneous sound avoidance task (AWNS-SA), prohibiting certain word-initial phonemes. After the communication task, participants completed a recognition memory test for past referents. Results showed that AWS performed more similarly to AWNS than to AWNS-SA in both language production and memory, although AWS' memory declined on a trial-by-trial basis when stuttering occurred. These findings suggest that linguistic monitoring in AWS does not impose substantial dual-task costs overall, but that stuttering moments can transiently disrupt memory encoding. Together, these results highlight the adaptive nature of linguistic monitoring in AWS and contribute to a broader understanding of how it supports language production and memory across AWS and AWNS.

PMID: 41737806 PMCID: PMC12926730

 

 

 

Embedding public and patient involvement in childhood stuttering research: lessons learned from engaging children and families in Saudi Arabia – INFANTIL / SOCIAL

Res Involv Engagem. 2026 Feb 12;12(1):23.
Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12903678/pdf/40900_2026_Article_845.pdf

 

Alhanouf Yosef Alhazimi et al

University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

Background: Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) is increasingly recognised as essential for ensuring health research is relevant, inclusive, and responsive to local contexts. However, in many regions of the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, PPI remains underdeveloped. This commentary presents a reflective account of how PPI was embedded throughout a multi-method doctoral study exploring the experiences of Saudi children who stutter (CWS).

Main body: This paper describes how ten Arabic-speaking contributors, including three children (aged 8 to10 years), two parents, two teachers, and three speech and language therapists, participated across six phases of the doctoral research: 1)planning, 2) recruitment, 3) pre-data collection, 4) data collection, 5) dissemination, and 6) early implementation. The contributors helped shape child-friendly, culturally relevant materials and advised on the linguistic accessibility and emotional safety of proposed recruitment and data collection tools and procedures. While CWS were not involved in the PPI group due to recruitment challenges, children with speech-sound disorders contributed insights to inform the design of child-centred tools. Their input influenced recruitment strategies, task sequencing during data collection, and dissemination formats. Key challenges included limited awareness of PPI among contributors, difficulty recruiting children who stutter, and the need to distinguish between research participants and PPI advisors for the contributors. Creative engagement methods, such as role-play and WhatsApp-based consultations, helped support inclusion and build trust.

Conclusion: This commentary presents one of the first documented examples of child-inclusive PPI in the Saudi context, highlighting the value of cross-generational collaboration and culturally responsive methods in enhancing research relevance and accessibility. We advocate for greater awareness, infrastructure, and policy support to embed meaningful PPI across the region, with particular attention to the cultural and linguistic dimensions of PPI.

PMID: 41680957 PMCID: PMC12903678

 

 

 

Evaluation of central auditory processing skills in children with stuttering - AUDITIVO

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2026 Mar;283(3):1939-1946. Epub 2026 Jan 3.
Free Full Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13002714/pdf/405_2025_Article_9952.pdf

 

Işık Sibel Küçükünal et al

Gazi University, Ankara, Türkiye.

 

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate central auditory processing skills in children with stuttering.

Methods: Twenty children with stuttering (CWS) group (3 females, 17 males) and 20 Typical Development (TD) group children (7 females, 13 males) with normal pure-tone hearing were given the Frequency Pattern Test (FPT) and Duration Pattern Test (DPT), Filtre Words (FW), Auditory Figure-Ground (AFG), Competing Words (CW) and Competing Sentences (CS) tests used in Central Auditory Processing (CAP).

Results: No significant difference was found in either group's FW, AFG, and CS tests. However, there was a significant difference between the scores obtained from the FPT, DPT, and CW tests. FPT and DPT results revealed a significant difference between the frequency and duration pattern scores of children in the CWS and TD groups (p < 0.001). Statistical comparisons of right-left ear difference scores between the CWS and TD groups were conducted for the SCAN-C subtest for DW, with significant differences (p < 0.01). Children with stuttering scored lower on these tests compared to typical development.

Conclusion: The observed pattern of results characterized by deficits in FPT, DPT, and dichotic auditory tasks aligns with theoretical models that implicate interhemispheric transfer in stuttering. Based on our behavioral data, we propose a hypothesis: the core difficulty may not lie in right-to-left hemisphere transfer, but in the longer loop of left-to-right and back again, potentially introducing critical timing delays in sound processing. It is recommended that interhemispheric training be implemented as part of stuttering interventions.plemented as part of stuttering int.

PMID: 41484484 PMCID: PMC13002714

 

 

 

From Classroom to Community: A Viewpoint on Advocacy Assignments Encouraging Student Action - TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 13;35(1):394-401. Epub 2025 Dec 12.

 

Katie L Winters & Megan M Young

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.

 

Purpose: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) includes advocacy in a list of five professional practice areas within the scope of practice for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), yet few SLPs report self-efficacy and preparedness to advocate. The purpose of this viewpoint article is to discuss advocacy within the context of the current disability and stuttering discourse and offer a structured advocacy assignment as one method of fostering graduate students' agency and action to advocate for the stuttering community.

Method: We provide an overview of advocacy within ASHA's scope of practice, disability frameworks, and self-advocacy as they relate to stutter-affirming therapy. Then, we introduce an advocacy assignment for graduate students enrolled in a semester-long stuttering course.

Results: The advocacy assignment introduced in this viewpoint article has been incorporated into four distinct stuttering courses. Here, we explain the different types of advocacy students may pursue through the assignment and example products of each advocacy type.

Conclusions: We recommend that graduate programs, course instructors, and clinical supervisors/preceptors consider opportunities to build graduate students' confidence in advocacy, particularly advocacy completed in collaboration with the stuttering community. Future research will assess the effectiveness of a stuttering advocacy assignment in increasing students' preparedness to advocate as part of their professional practice.

PMID: 41386769 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00138

 

 

 

How Simple Can a Treatment for Early Stuttering Be? A Proposed Two-Factor Early Intervention - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Mar 10;35(2):422-430. Epub 2026 Feb 19.

 

Mark Onslow et al

University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

 

Purpose: In this clinical focus article, we draw attention to the need for immediate intervention shortly after stuttering onset. More than half of stuttering onsets occur before 3 years of age. We argue that existing interventions for preschool children who stutter require varying levels of cognitive engagement from children; hence, they are not suitable for children of that age. For this reason, we argue that there is no clinical trials evidence for treatment efficacy with children younger than 3 years of age.

Conclusions: There are many recommended parent strategies that do not require any active participation from children, which, therefore, may be suitable for immediate stuttering intervention. Two of these have laboratory support in their favor: parent speech rate reduction and increased interturn speaker latency. Therefore, we developed a clinical protocol based on those two parent strategies and showed the clinical viability of the protocol with three children who stuttered. We argue that automation of our proposed treatment with lifelike artificial intelligence-generated avatar clinicians will make it globally viable, and a suitable target for future Phases I-IV clinical trials.

PMID: 41712855 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00256

 

 

 

How Variability Is Addressed in Interventions for Neurodiverse Conditions: Implications for Stuttering - TERAPIA

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jan 8;69(1):123-165. Epub 2025 Dec 1
Free Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12806016/

 

Amir Hossein Rasoli Jokar, J Scott Yaruss et al

Michigan State University, East Lansing; University of Vermont, Burlington.

 

Purpose: This scoping review aimed to investigate strategies from peer-reviewed literature for addressing behavioral and experiential variability in neurodiverse conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, and Tourette syndrome. Specifically, we explored how approaches used with other conditions could be adapted to better account for variability in the assessment and treatment of stuttering.e

Method: A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted for studies published between 2000 and March 2025, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Fifty-five studies met inclusion criteria by describing methods for measuring or managing variability across situations, across tasks, or over time. A narrative synthesis was used to analyze and interpret findings.

Results: Key strategies for addressing variability in assessment included real-time data collection through ecological momentary assessment and contextual analysis using tailored rating scales. Key strategies for managing variability included personalized treatment, adaptive treatment models, cognitive therapy techniques, environmental modifications, and psychoeducation. These methods hold potential for improving the evaluation and management of variability within the population of individuals who stutter.

Conclusions: Adapting strategies from other neurodiverse conditions to stuttering has the potential to offer benefits such as improved measurement of variability and more personalized interventions. This review emphasizes the value of cross-disciplinary approaches to enhance quality of life for those who stutter.

PMID: 41324421 PMCID: PMC12806016

 

 

 

Intersectionality and stuttering: A sociolinguistic perspective - SOCIAL

J Commun Disord. 2026 Jan-Feb:119:106607. Epub 2025 Nov 28.

 

Carolina Beita-Ell & Michael P Boyle 2

Montclair State University, Bloomfield, NJ, United States.

 

Introduction: This study sought to counter an ableist (often listeners') perspective of stuttering through obtaining the perspectives and lived-experiences of a historically underrepresented subgroup of individuals who stutter - Latinos/as/xs/es who stutter.

Methods: By means of semi-structured interviews and an online survey, nine Latinos/as/xs/es who stutter provided a sociolinguistic (speakers') perspective of the experience of stuttering. Participants were queried about their experience of stuttering, whether being Latino/a/x/e intersected with stuttering, and about other stigmatized identities, attributes, and/or life circumstances that imbued their experience of stuttering. A thematic analysis, using a phenomenological approach, was applied to qualitative data. Statistical analyses were performed on quantitative data.

Results: FOUR MAJOR THEMES EMERGED: (1) Stuttering Does Not Occur in Isolation, (2) At the Crossroads of Stuttering and Bilingualism, (3) Therapeutic Experiences, and (4) Functional and Communicative Barriers. As a social group, i.e. people who stutter, participants identified linguistic and extralinguistic social markers of stuttering. As Latinos/as/xs/es who stutter, a subgroup of people who stutter, some participants reported additional psychosocial implications of the experience of stuttering that were attributed to race/ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and/or language/s spoken.

Conclusions: Findings provide support for the adoption of community-based psychoeducational programs about stuttering, the use of culturally and/or linguistically appropriate measures during assessment and intervention, the inclusion of culture and/or language specific supports for people who stutter, and therapist-client matching to promote a strong therapeutic alliance and improve outcomes of intervention.

PMID: 41365241 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2025.106607

 

 

 

Investigating perspective taking and caregiver-proxy-child communication attitude agreement in early childhood stuttering – INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

PLoS One. 2026 Feb 12;21(2):e0339706. eCollection 2026.

Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12900327/pdf/pone.0339706.pdf

 

Katie L Winters & Courtney T Byrd

University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America 7 The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America.

 

Purpose: Children begin to stutter and develop early attitudes about their communication during a critical period of speech, language, and social cognition development. This study examined social cognition via cognitive and affective perspective taking and explored whether perspective taking influences caregiver-proxy - child communication attitude agreement in 3-6-year-old children who stutter, while accounting for variation in speech and language abilities.

Method: One hundred eleven children who stutter, ages 3-6, completed the KiddyCAT, protocols for cognitive and affective perspective taking, and standardized speech and language assessments. One primary caregiver completed an adapted version of the KiddyCAT, which involved estimating their perception of their child's communication attitude. Analyses were conducted to calculate the caregiver's item-by-item agreement with their child's responses on the KiddyCAT, and multiple regression was used to assess predictors of caregiver-proxy - child KiddyCAT agreement.

Results: Approximately 8% of children performed above chance on the cognitive perspective taking task, whereas 56% performed above chance on the affective task. Caregiver-proxy - child KiddyCAT agreement ranged from 0.56-0.85, with higher agreement on two items requiring the child's perspective taking. Higher speech and language scores predicted greater KiddyCAT agreement for all caregiver-child dyads. Neither affective nor cognitive perspective taking predicted KiddyCAT agreement.

Conclusions: Consistent with research with typically developing children, there is substantial variability in perspective taking in children age 3-6 who stutter, with evidence of emerging affective, but comparatively limited cognitive perspective taking skills. Caregiver-proxy - child agreement on the Kiddy-CAT, a measure that requires both affective and cognitive perspective taking, appears to be stronger for children with more advanced speech and language. Given that at least some young children and their caregivers appear to be aware of each other's perspectives regarding the child's communication, clinicians should facilitate discussion of stuttering and reactions to stuttering openly and neutrally with these caregivers and their children.

PMID: 41678472 PMCID: PMC12900327

 

 

 

Investigating Saudi secondary school teachers' knowledge of stuttering and experiences with adolescents who stutter - SOCIAL

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106193. Epub 2026 Jan 8.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X2600001X?via%3Dihub

 

Einas Alharbi et al

University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia; Taibah University, Madina, Saudi Arabia; OST Therapy, Shenzhen, China; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia; Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.

 

Purpose: While numerous studies have evaluated primary school teachers' understanding of stuttering, the knowledge of secondary school teachers, particularly in Saudi Arabia, remains underexplored. This descriptive cross-sectional survey study aimed to assess the knowledge and experiences of Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers who were currently working with, or had previously worked with, adolescents who stutter.

Method: A total of 90 Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers participated in an online survey divided into three sections. Section one collected participant demographic information. In the second section, the Arabic version of the Alabama Stuttering Knowledge Test was used to evaluate secondary school teachers' knowledge of stuttering. The third section, developed through a review of relevant literature, explored secondary school teachers' experience working with adolescents who stutter.

Results: The overall mean knowledge score was 13.73. Most participants expressed high confidence in their abilities to work with and support adolescents who stutter. Most participants did not believe that having adolescents who stutter in their classrooms affected their teaching style or their interactions with them. Participants utilised diverse approaches to promote inclusiveness in the classroom and support adolescents who stutter. Furthermore, most participants frequently rated the effectiveness of various strategies for managing stuttering in the classroom as "very effective".

Conclusion: Saudi Arabian secondary school teachers hold misconceptions about the causes of stuttering and lack collaboration with speech-language pathologists. This indicates a need for targeted training programmes to expand their knowledge and equip them with effective approaches to support adolescents who stutter in educational settings.

PMID: 41529559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106193

 

 

 

Listener Ratings of Stuttering: Evaluating Two Auditory-Perceptual Scales - AVALIAÇÃO

J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jan 8;69(1):108-122. Epub 2025 Dec 5.

Free text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12806039/pdf/JSLHR-69-108.pdf

 

Allison Johnson et al

University of Washington, Seattle.

 

Purpose: Stuttering is a motor speech difference characterized by a disruption in the fluency, timing, and rhythm of speech. There is a lack of agreement on how to reliably and efficiently assess stuttering in research and the clinic. This study aims to compare the validity and reliability of two types of auditory-perceptual scales, direct magnitude estimation and equal-appearing interval scales, on assessing stuttering in adult speakers.

Method: Two experiments compared unfamiliar listener ratings of speech samples from adults who stutter. Raters used one of two different rating scales to determine the construct validity and reliability of scaling procedures for capturing stuttering. The two experiments varied by the number and duration of samples (set number of syllables vs. set duration) and by the training given to participants (defining stuttering severity vs. allowing participants to define severity themselves).

Results: Both experiments demonstrated the appropriateness of both scales for rating stuttering.

Conclusions: Contrary to earlier studies, our findings indicated that a 7-point equal-appearing interval scale validly captured unfamiliar listeners' perception of stuttering severity. Future study is needed to determine the number of raters needed to provide stable ratings as well as the utility of average or single ratings to capture clinically relevant change.

PMID: 41348924 PMCID: PMC12806039

 

 

 

Mental well-being, emotional-cognitive processing, and attention skills in individuals with cluttering - TAQUIFEMIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106184. Epub 2025 Nov 27.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X25000865?via%3Dihub

 

Yasmin Horev Nahum et al

Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.

 

Background: Cluttering is a fluency disorder marked by a rapid and irregular speech rate and articulation difficulties such as "slurred" speech and sound omissions. These speech disruptions reduce intelligibility and negatively impact communication. Treatment for individuals with cluttering typically focuses on improving their speech clarity and fluency. In contrast, while addressing speech disruptions, treatment for stuttering, a related fluency disorder, extends to include psychological and emotional aspects. This broader approach is based on research linking stuttering to mental health indicators such as depression, anxiety, and attention disorders, as well as to psychological flexibility. These emotional and psychological aspects and their associations remain underexplored in the context of cluttering.

Objective: To examine mental well-being, emotional-cognitive processing, and attention abilities in individuals with cluttering and to explore the relationships between these measures.

Method: Thirty-one adults diagnosed with cluttering completed questionnaires designed to assess mental well-being (i.e., anxiety, depression, somatic complaints), emotional-cognitive processing (alexithymia, psychological flexibility), and attention skills.

Results: High rates of anxiety symptoms, somatic complaints, reduced emotional-cognitive processing (high alexithymia), and attention difficulties were found among the study participants. Typical levels of psychological flexibility were observed. Alexithymia was associated with lower well-being.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that lower mental well-being levels and higher rates of alexithymia symptoms and attention difficulties characterize individuals with cluttering. Accordingly, we recommend including an assessment of these factors in cluttering diagnosis. In treating cluttering, similar to stuttering treatment, it is advisable to address emotional aspects, specifically by methods designed to enhance emotional-cognitive processing.

PMID: 41317412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106184

 

 

 

Nonword Repetition Assessment of Children Who Stutter: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Scoring Procedures - FALA

Review J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Feb 12;69(2). Epub 2026 Feb 2.

 

Esther Yeung & Peter Howell et al

University College London, United Kingdom; King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

Purpose: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the scoring procedures and methods used for assessing the performance of children who stutter (CWS) in nonword repetition (NWR) tests.

Method: Five computerized databases and gray literature/unpublished data were searched for eligible studies involving reports that compared NWR performance between CWS and children who do not stutter. Effect sizes across studies and sensitivity values of the different scoring procedures were obtained.

Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The findings showed that combined methods involving joint online and offline scoring and scoring procedures that calculated the percentage of number of words correct were as reliable as the more popular offline scoring procedure.

Conclusions: The clinical and social implications of using NWR tests to assess phonological processing in CWS are discussed. Recommendations are made concerning how future studies can improve the quality of procedures used in NWR testing.

PMID: 41628447 DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00206

 

 

 

On the construction of the intersectional identity of LGBTQ people who stutter - CONCEITO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 3:88:106198. Online ahead of print.

 

James M Mancinelli

La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the processes involved in the construction of the intersectional identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people who stutter (LGBTQ+PWS). The study fills a gap in the literature between research on the social identity of people who stutter (Daniels & Gabel, 2004) and a description of the lived experiences of LGBTQ people who stutter (Daniels, Boyle, & Archer, 2023).

Methods: A hybrid qualitative approach combining Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Grounded Theory methodologies (GT) was used incorporating semi-structured interviewing for obtaining data (IPA and GT) and initial coding, focused coding, and theoretical coding (GT) were used for theory development. The results produced a core phenomenon of the intersectional identity and a theory on its construction.

Conclusions: Five categories emerged from focused coding in the domains of cognitive and affective effects during interactions, an awareness of the intersectional identity, individual, public, and structural stigmatization, authenticity and self-acceptance, and concealment and disclosure. Data analyses revealed the core phenomenon of the intersectional identity to be navigating social identities before, during, and after social and communicative interactions by managing information about themselves. The construction of the intersectional LGBTQ+PWS identity involves a dynamic interplay of identity salience, centrality, and situational negotiation, factors that are common to both marginalized groups. These processes are interactive in that one identity influences the visibility, management, and meaning of the other. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

PMID: 41719846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106198

 

 

 

Organizing Life Around Stuttering: A Qualitative Examination of Stuttering Through the Lens of Complex Trauma - EMOCIONAL

Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Mar 10;35(2):600-620. Epub 2026 Feb 5.

 

Christopher Anderson et al

Washington, DC; Sisskin Stuttering Center, Vienna, VA; The University of Iowa, Iowa City.

 

Purpose: We examined the cognitive, emotional, and physiological experiences of adults who stutter (AWS) through a trauma lens. Specifically, we explored the cumulative effects of repeated exposures to stressful stuttering moments and the ensuing environmental reactions, hypothesizing that some AWS internalize these formative interpersonal experiences and develop complex trauma symptoms during childhood that they carry into adulthood.

Method: We conducted semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 AWS to understand their experiences from childhood into adulthood, across home, school, speech/language therapy, work, and social environments. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed via applied and reflexive thematic analyses to establish multilevel themes within a thematic network.

Results: Many AWS experienced singular and repetitive stressful moments from stuttering, which they reported as overwhelming experiences typically within close relationships. They often faced these experiences through their formative development, causing them to develop survival responses, negative self-beliefs, and meager social connections. These maladaptive responses reinforced a complex system of defenses over time to protect themselves as they came of age. A bias toward self-preservation prevented many of the AWS from building rich social lives. Over half of the participants described dissociative sensations from stuttering or others' negative reactions to it.

Conclusions: The themes align with established conceptualizations of complex trauma, lending credence to the limited evidence base that stuttering can yield trauma-related symptoms stemming from repeated overwhelming experiences within interpersonal contexts. These findings motivate future efforts to establish trauma-informed prevention and care for stutterers.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31173592.

PMID: 41642068 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00273

 

 

 

Oxytocin levels in children with childhood-onset fluency disorder - AVALIAÇÃO

Turk J Pediatr. 2025 Oct 6;67(6):885-891

Free article: https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/6132/3379

 

Erdoğan Özgür et al

Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Muğla, Türkiye; Faculty of Medicine, İzmir Democracy University, İzmir, Türkiye.

 

Background: Evidence suggests a role for oxytocin in language development and cognitive functions in humans. However, there is a lack of research investigating the role of oxytocin in childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering). The aim of this study is to compare blood oxytocin levels between children diagnosed with stuttering and healthy controls.

Methods: Nineteen male children diagnosed with stuttering, aged between 6 and 11 years, and 27 typically fluent male children as a control group were included. All participants underwent psychiatric screening using the semi-structured interview The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version, and an ear, nose, throat examination. Serum oxytocin levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The median (Q1-Q3) blood oxytocin levels in the case group were 113.4 (90.19-136.3) pg/mL, while in the control group were 136.7 (105.4-203.7) pg/mL. A statistically significant lower level of oxytocin was observed in the case group compared to the control group (U=162, p=0.03).

Conclusions: We speculate a potential role of oxytocin in the etiology of developmental stuttering under the umbrella of neurodevelopmental disorders. The investigation of oxytocin, which plays a role in socialization and speech, in future studies on speech fluency disorders is intriguing in terms of its implications for clinical applications, including treatment.

PMID: 41636193 DOI: 10.24953/turkjpediatr.2025.6132

 

 

 

Perception of acoustically altered speech in adults who stutter: Preliminary findings using a Bayesian analysis approach - AUDITIVO

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106172. Epub 2025 Nov 14.

 

Dhatri S Devaraju et al

University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, USA; All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, Karnataka, India.

 

Background: Many factors contribute to stuttering, including phonological and temporal processing. Speech perception in challenging scenarios requires efficient temporal processing and differential weighting of the temporal envelope and fine-structure. Degrading the speech inputs would exert an additional demand on the phonological representations, storage, and retrieval, and may result in adverse effects on both speech perception and production in Adults who Stutter (AWS). This preliminary study examined how speech perception in AWS would vary in two different acoustically altered, degraded scenarios.

Methods: Twenty-two participants, eleven each in AWS and Adults who do not stutter (AWNS) groups, performed speech perception tasks in two degraded conditions: a) presence of noise, and b) chimerization. The SNR-50 in the noise condition and mean intelligibility score (number of correctly repeated keywords) in the chimerized condition were compared between AWS and AWNS. We used a Bayesian approach to statistically examine the differences in speech perception across the two groups.

Results: The results revealed poor speech perception in noise in AWS compared to AWNS. Perception of sentence chimeras, however, was similar in both groups.

Conclusions: The preliminary results suggest deficits in speech perception in noise, which might be due to temporal fine-structure perception problems in AWS, imposing additional demands on phonological processing and higher cognitive mechanisms. Altogether, these results from a pilot study warrant further investigations to address the effects of faulty auditory representations on day-to-day communication in AWS.

PMID: 41313922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106172

 

 

 

Phoneme Manner Types and Function and Content Words as Biomarkers for Different Types of Stutters in Speakers Who Continue to Stutter - SUPERFICIAL

Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2026 Jan-Feb;61(1):e70195.

 

Peter Howell et al

University College London, London, UK.

 

Background / aims: This study addressed whether or not manner of phonemes at the onset of function and content words is linked to different types of stutter.

Methods & procedures: Sixty-six spontaneous speech samples from 22 participants (three recordings per participant) were employed. These were annotated with types of stutter (dependent variable), word type (function versus content). Phoneme manner at word onset was available in the transcriptions. The first analysis looked at associations between types of stutter and types of words. The second analysis looked at individual onset phoneme manner influences on types of stutter separately for function and content words. Both analyses employed multinomial logistic regression, obtained predictive probabilities and reported permutation tests to assess statistical significance, and robustness. A separate set of data was used to replicate the findings.

Outcomes & results: In analysis one, whole-word repetitions (WWRs) were predominantly associated with function words whereas the other types of stutter (prolongations, part-word repetitions, and word breaks, all of which mainly occur at word-onsets) were associated with content words. In analysis two WWRs on function words were mainly associated with vowel onsets. Prolongations, part-word repetitions and word breaks on content words were associated with several consonant manners at onset. The main patterns were that prolongations occurred with continuant manners (primarily fricatives) whereas part-word repetitions and breaks occurred mainly with obstruent manners (primarily voiceless plosives and affricates).

Conclusions and implications: WWR happen mainly on function words whereas the other types of stutter occur on initial parts of content words. The analysis protocol used in analysis two (target-and-type-maps) provides a framework for analysis of stuttering in languages that do not have separate function words and for distinguishing conditions that have some similarities to stuttering (e.g. word-finding difficulties).

PMID: 41560537 PMCID: PMC12820596 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70195

 

 

 

Psychosocial Outcomes of School-Age Children Who Received the Lidcombe Program - TERAPIA

Clinical Trial Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 13;35(1):353-360. Epub 2025 Nov 25.

 

Georgina Johnson. Mark Onslow et al

The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.

 

Purpose: The present study aims to report on the psychosocial outcomes of children aged 6-12 years who did or did not respond to the Lidcombe Program.

Method: Thirty-seven 6- to 12-year-old children participated in a Phase II trial of the Lidcombe Program using video telehealth. Treatment progress was documented using stuttering severity ratings and three psychosocial outcome measures (Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering-School-Age Children, Communication Attitude Test, and Spence Children's Anxiety Scale). We examine the results of these psychosocial outcomes in relation to children who did and did not respond to the program.

Results: Significant improvements were observed across all psychosocial measures, irrespective of responsiveness group. Individual trajectories highlighted heterogeneity, but group data revealed statistically significant reductions in measures of stuttering impact, negative communication attitudes, and anxiety symptoms from pretreatment to 12 months posttreatment, with no evidence of differential effects between responsiveness groups.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that the Lidcombe Program may provide psychosocial benefits beyond stuttering reduction to some children, potentially through the therapeutic alliance fostered between clinicians, children, and families. The Lidcombe Program appears to be psychologically safe and may confer psychosocial advantages for school-age children who stutter, regardless of whether their stuttering partially reduced, stopped, or persisted. Future research should explore longer term maintenance of these psychosocial gains and conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of the Lidcombe Program relative to a control group.

PMID: 41289495 DOI: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00068

 

 

 

Quality of life in preschoolers who stutter and do not stutter: An exploratory study - AMBIENTE

Observational Study J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2025 Dec 31.

 

Erika Queiroga Werkhaizer Soares et al

Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

 

This study aimed to assess the quality of life of children aged 2-who stutter and who do not stutter. We compared the quality-of-life scores between the two groups and analysed the relationship between their scores and sociodemographic data. We conducted a cross-sectional observational analytical study utilising a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 74 children in the specified age range. Data were collected using structured interviews (sample characterisation script), the Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria, and the Pediatric Questionnaire on Quality of Life (Generic Version 4.0). The Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4) was used to classify the severity of stuttering. The collected data underwent descriptive, associative, and multivariate analyses. Association analyses were conducted between the dimensions of quality of life and total quality of life and the variables socioeconomic background, age, gender, family history of recovered and persistent stuttering, maternal education, and child education, as well as between stuttering severity and quality of life scores. No significant association was found between quality of life and stuttering as perceived by parents. Additionally, no association was observed between stuttering severity and quality of life in children with a confirmed diagnosis of stuttering. Therefore, the impact of stuttering on the quality of life appears to be unrelated to the onset of symptoms but, more likely, to negative communicative experiences during its development.

PMID: 41494281 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106191

 

 

 

Sensorimotor dynamics differentiate singing and speaking - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

 bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2026 Jan 30:2025.12.19.695607.

Full Text: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.695607v2.full.pdf

This is a preprint.

 

Alexis L Pracar et al

University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA; University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; National Center for Adaptive Neurotechnologies, Albany,

 

 

Singing and speaking often dissociate clinically-people who stutter can sing fluently, and individuals with aphasia and speech output problems from stroke may express sentences fluently in song-yet the neural mechanisms of this centuries-old clinical phenomenon remain unclear. We recorded intracranial EEG while neurosurgical patients produced matched sentences by singing or speaking, sampling millimeter- and millisecond-scale activity across bilateral sensorimotor cortex (SMC). During articulation, high-frequency activity (70-150 Hz) lateralized oppositely across behaviors, with right-dominant SMC activation for singing and left-dominant activation for speaking. Mu-band (∼10 Hz) synchrony further differentiated the dynamics: speaking showed an early left-led pattern, whereas singing exhibited a ramping of synchrony within the left sensorimotor cortex and between the two motor cortices, supporting progressive interhemispheric recruitment. Frequency-domain Granger-Geweke causality revealed that the left primary somatosensory cortex drives both motor cortices at speech onset. In contrast in singing, control over motor cortices relied on both hemispheres. These results provide evidence that song and speech rely on dissociable sensorimotor dynamics. This bilaterally coordinated SMC pathway may enable preserved singing in individuals with impaired speech output.

PMID: 41659578 PMCID: PMC12873961

 

 

 

Speaking face-to-face with a virtual avatar to reduce anxiety in students who stutter: Tool development and pilot study results - INFANTIL / TERAPIA

Randomized Controlled Trial J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

Free article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094730X26000021?via%3Dihub

 

Mathieu Delangle et al

University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada; Université de Liège, Belgium; École de Technologie Supérieure, Montréal, Canada; Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada; Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, Canada;

 

Purpose: Speaking in class is challenging for students who stutter. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure in virtual reality (VR) emerges as a promising intervention for treating speaking anxiety in pediatric populations. This pilot study tested if real-time avatar-based VR can elicit anxiety responses while remaining acceptable to youth who stutter.

Method: Twelve students who stutter (aged 9-18) were randomly assigned to a single training session conducted either (1) in VR with a realistic avatar controlled live by their SLP, or (2) in role-play with their SLP, before facing a real actor. We assessed system acceptability, anxiety levels and perceived self-efficacy.

Results: The VR system was well accepted and elicited physiological arousal comparable to real-life interactions. Although participants reported experiencing less anxiety during VR, skin conductance level showed higher arousal; suggesting a divergence between the subjective report and physiological response. Finally, one training session (either in VR or with the SLP) did not produce gains in self-efficacy or decrease in anxiety related to the final real-actor conversation.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates evidence that the potential use of immersive VR could represent an acceptable and viable complementary strategy for SLP treatment, that could control exposure parameters while evoking physiological responses similar to real-life contexts. The differences between subjective and physiological measures suggest that VR is inducing anxiety responses differently than it was perceived. Further research could investigate the use of VR as anxiety interventions for students who stutter and should be explored across multi-session studies to understand their therapeutic effect.

PMID: 41579638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106194

 

 

 

Speech Motor Deficits in Developmental Stuttering and Parkinson's Disease: From Cellular and Circuit to Network-Level Disruptions - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Review Eur J Neurosci. 2026 Feb;63(3):e70393. doi: 10.1111/ejn.70393.

 

Ariana Z Turk et al

Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA; Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA; Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; University of Reading, Reading, UK.

 

Speech dysfluency occurs across multiple motor disorders to varying degrees, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Like locomotion, speech production is relies on basal ganglia circuits, and disruptions in these pathways can lead to varied symptomatic presentations. In this perspective, we discuss evidence from cellular, circuit and network-level studies to highlight shared and disorder-specific mechanisms of speech dysfluency in Parkinson's disease and developmental stuttering. Basal ganglia function and dopaminergic modulation are central to both disorders, while cortical and brainstem microcircuits remain crucial; emerging evidence also implicates astrocytes and inflammatory processes in these conditions. By integrating these multiscale insights, we aim to provide a conceptual framework that explains the mechanistic basis of speech dysfluency in Parkinson's disease and developmental stuttering and identifies avenues for future research and possible therapeutic interventions.

PMID: 41638906 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.70393

 

 

 

Spontaneous and internet-informed parent responses to early stuttering - INFANTIL / AMBIENTE

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Feb 1:88:106199. Online ahead of print.

 

Georgina Johnson; Mark Onslowe et al

University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Stuttering Specialists Montreal, Quebec, Canada; University of Technology Sydney, Australian Stuttering Research Centre, NSW, Australia.

 

Purpose: Understanding initial parent responses to early stuttering provides a foundation to build a strong therapeutic alliance, and promotes shared decision-making during intervention, allowing for tailored education and support. In a digital age where health-related decision-making often begins with an internet search, it is important to understand how it might influence their initial responses. Therefore, this study explored how access to internet-based information may influence parent responses to childhood stuttering onset. This helps clinicians to understand knowledge and beliefs parents may bring to initial clinical consultations.

Method: Participants were parents of 2-4-year-olds who did not stutter, and who had no prior experience of stuttering. They were given information about early stuttering and shown five video clips depicting varying degrees of stuttering severity in preschool-age children. They were asked to reflect on five actions they would take if their child began to stutter. These actions were guided by either internet searches or relied on intuition alone. A reflexive thematic analysis was used to examine and interpret patterns in these parent responses.

Conclusions: Compared to parents in the spontaneous response group, internet-informed parents more frequently described self-modification, with adjustments to their own speech and a "wait-and-see" approach. In contrast, spontaneous parent responses more often described speech-focused strategies directed at the child. Results provide insights that inform speech-language pathology practices by helping clinicians (a) align treatment planning with parent perspectives, (b) correct misinformation, and (c) foster stronger therapeutic alliances from the outset.

PMID: 41655560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106199

 

 

 

Student perceptions of three online simulation-based learning experiences embedded within graduate stuttering coursework - OUTRAS ÁREAS

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2026 Jan 9:1-11. Online ahead of print.

 

Katherine Day & Cara M Singer

Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.

 

Background: Simulated patients have long been used across various healthcare professions. Research over the past 15 years supports the inclusion of simulation-based learning experiences to train graduate speech-language pathology students to work with various populations. This study explored students' perceptions of three online simulation-based learning experiences within a graduate stuttering course, in which simulated patients portrayed either a caregiver of pre-school-age children who stutter or an adult who stutters.

Method: Two consecutive cohorts of graduate speech-language pathology students enrolled in a stuttering course were recruited to share their perceptions of their simulation-based learning experiences. All three simulations were developed by the instructor and the university's Interprofessional Simulation Centre. The simulations were delivered online (via Zoom) to pairs of students. Students completed five surveys via REDCap, namely, a demographic survey, a survey following each simulation, and a post-experience survey. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric associations and comparisons for student perceptions were conducted.

Result: Twenty-eight students out of 88 eligible students (32% participation) completed the surveys. Survey responses indicated positive experiences for all three simulations and improved students' comfortability when working with similar clients in the future. Simulation realism and student preparedness positively correlated with improved confidence.

Conclusion: Findings support the value of online simulation-based learning experiences with standardised patients within graduate speech-language pathology courses that target working with caregivers of pre-school-aged who stutter and assessing and providing treatment to adults who stutter. Students reported feeling more comfortable about working with similar clients in the future.

PMID: 41514487 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2025.2608349

 

 

 

Stuttering and neurodiversity: A question of ableism or anti-ableism? One central premise: The person who stutters - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106188. Epub 2025 Dec 12.

 

Martine Vanryckeghem

University of Central Florida, Orlando, United States.

 

Purpose: The purpose of this position statement is to lay the foundation for an open-minded discourse by embracing neurodiversity in assessment and treatment of the person who stutters and to bring attention to the central premise: the person who stutters.

Method: A reflection on recent publications and conference presentations that discuss an unnuanced and narrow-minded ableist versus anti-ableist approach to the assessment and treatment of people who stutter. Many of those are not data-bound and lead to confusion and a perception of professional failure, certainly among junior speech-language pathologists.

Conclusions: This is an appeal for a discussion of what is being portrayed as opposing approaches to the clinical management of people who stutter. Starting with a solid operational definition, an open-minded discourse needs to take place aiming for a balanced, client-centered approach that respects the aspiration of the individual who stutters and supports their self-defined goals. This is an appeal to reclaim the middle ground where acceptance and change are not mutually exclusive, and therapeutic practice is guided by autonomy, inclusivity, and shared decision-making.

PMID: 41406587 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106188

 

 

 

Supplementary motor area: A promising neurostimulation target to improve speech production - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Review J Commun Disord. 2026 Mar-Apr:120:106630. Epub 2026 Feb 7.

 

Fatemeh Tabari & Karim Johari

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.

 

The supplementary motor area (SMA) works in concert with several cortical and subcortical regions to produce speech in a timely, accurate, and fluent manner. Despite the SMA's critical role in speech motor control, it has been inadequately addressed in neurostimulation studies, and its exact mechanism remains unexplored. We investigated the SMA's function through the lenses of various theoretical models, as well as lesion and neuroimaging studies. This review synthesizes the current evidence on the potential of SMA-targeted non-invasive neurostimulation techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), and high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS). Current evidence supports the integrative role of the SMA in coordinating planning-related and sensory-guided aspects of speech motor control and demonstrates that both excitatory and inhibitory stimulation of the SMA modulate speech-related processes, including motor planning, temporal coordination, auditory-vocal integration, and vocal compensation, in healthy individuals and clinical populations, particularly those with Parkinson's disease and stuttering. Collectively, the SMA holds promise for improving speech motor function and motivates future studies using diverse stimulation techniques and speech production tasks to inform therapeutic applications.

PMID: 41691719 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2026.106630

 

 

 

The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy-based practices on social anxiety and stuttering severity in children who stutter - TERAPIA

J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar:87:106192. Epub 2025 Dec 31.

 

Sabri Toğluk  & Yahya Aktu

Siirt University, Siirt, Türkiye.

 

Purpose: Children who stutter (CWS) often face communication challenges in social settings, which may lead to increased social anxiety and exacerbate stuttering severity. This pilot study examines the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions in reducing social anxiety and stuttering severity among CWS.

Methods: This pilot study employed a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design without a control group. Seventeen children aged 7-12 from a low socioeconomic area in Southeastern Türkiye participated in an eight-week CBT-based program that included cognitive restructuring, exposure tasks, and homework. Data were analyzed using Linear Mixed Effects Models (LMM), with CBT intervention defined as a fixed effect and individual variation as a random effect. Separate LMM analyses were conducted for social anxiety and stuttering severity.

Results: The LMM results revealed statistically significant reductions in both social anxiety and stuttering severity following the CBT-based intervention. Baseline levels of social anxiety and stuttering severity significantly predicted follow up outcomes, and the intervention led to meaningful decreases across both measures.

Conclusion: As a pilot study, these results highlight the potential of CBT-based interventions to reduce both social anxiety and stuttering severity in CWS. These results point to the potential utility of individualized early intervention strategies, including psychiatric nursing practices, within clinical and educational contexts to address the multifaceted nature of developmental stuttering.

PMID: 41483641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106192

 

 

 

The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on reading adaptation in adults who stutter - NEUROCIÊNCIAS

Randomized Controlled Trial J Fluency Disord. 2026 Mar. Epub 2026 Jan 13.

 

Narges Moein; Luc De Nil et al

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Hospital for Sick Children,  Toronto, ON, Canada.

 

Background: The reading adaptation effect in stuttering refers to decreased stuttering frequency during repeated readings. This study investigated whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left primary motor cortex (M1) enhances reading adaptation in adults who stutter.

Methods: Two consecutive studies were conducted. Study 1 was a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial with twenty adults who stutter (14 males, 6 females) assigned to either an anodal tDCS (2 mA, 20 min) or a sham stimulation group. Participants read a passage five times during stimulation. Study 2 was an exploratory secondary single-case analysis of data from six participants (5 males, 1 female) who demonstrated measurable stuttering during reading (>1 % syllables stuttered) in Study 1. Reading adaptation was quantified as percentage reduction in stuttering frequency from first to fifth reading trial.

Results: Study 1 showed no statistically significant difference in reading adaptation between anodal and sham groups (Mann-Whitney U = 30, p = 0.137), though a moderate effect size (r = 0.34) suggested a potentially meaningful difference. Study 2 revealed variable individual responses, with three participants showing greater reading adaptation under anodal stimulation and three showing greater adaptation under sham stimulation.

Conclusions: Anodal tDCS over the left M1 did not consistently enhance reading adaptation in adults who stutter, suggesting that the relationship between M1 excitability and reading adaptation is more complex than hypothesized. Future research should investigate alternative neural targets, stimulation parameters, and individual differences in stuttering severity to better understand the effects of neuromodulation on speech motor adaptation in speech disorders.

PMID: 41548453 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106195

 

 

 

Virtual adaptation of Camp Dream. Speak. Live.: Clinical outcomes of an intensive CARE Model intervention for children who stutter - TERAPIA

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2025 Dec 7:1-15. Online ahead of print.

 

Courtney T Byrd et al

The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA; New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA.

 

Purpose: Camp Dream. Speak. Live. is an intensive, strengths-based, manualised treatment program for children who stutter, with no indirect or direct fluency goals. This study determined the effectiveness of a virtual adaptation of Camp Dream. Speak. Live. in reducing the adverse impact of stuttering and increasing communication competence.

Method: Sixty-one children who stutter (ages 3 to 17 years) participated in Virtual Camp Dream. Speak. Live. pre- and post-treatment measures were identical to previous in-person administrations: (a) Self- and caregiver-report of cognitive and affective impact of stuttering (Communication Attitude Test for Children who Stutter, Overall Assessment of Speaker's Experience of Stuttering, PROMIS Paediatric Peer Relationship, and PROMIS Parent Proxy Relationships) and (b) unfamiliar clinician ratings of communication competence of impromptu presentations.

Result: Significant post-treatment gains observed one week after treatment were reported for the Communication Attitude Test for Children who Stutter (p < .05), Overall Assessment of Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (p < .001), and PROMIS Peer Relationships Parent Proxy (p < .05). Significant gains in post-treatment communication competence were observed for seven of nine competencies (p-value range: .01 to .02). Pre-treatment stuttering frequency did not significantly predict changes in communication competence.

Conclusion: Findings from Virtual Camp Dream. Speak. Live. demonstrate that the administration of the adapted telepractice format of this manualised program yields comparable findings as when administered in-person, suggesting promising implications when in-person provision and/or access is not feasible.

PMID: 41355162 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2025.2589140

 

 

 

Visualization of Internal Working Models Through Transactional Analysis (TA) Developmental Collage Therapy: A Case Report - OUTRAS ÁREAS

Case Reports Cureus. 2026 Jan 29;18(1):e102599. eCollection 2026 Jan.
Free Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12865483/pdf/cureus-0018-00000102599.pdf

 

Hidemi Nakano

Tokyo Clinical Psychology Counseling Academy, Tokyo, JPN.

 

Bowlby's Internal Working Model (IWM) is central to understanding adult attachment-related difficulties. However, what IWM concretely consists of remains unspecified, and no method exists for directly visualizing IWM. Because IWM is formed during the pre-verbal period, it is difficult to access through language-based psychotherapy alone. A woman in her 20s with a history of childhood stuttering and subsequent interpersonal difficulties participated in Transactional Analysis (TA) Developmental Collage Therapy. She created six collage works representing "myself and my surrounding environment" across developmental stages from birth to a future after therapeutic change. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included the Tokyo University Egogram Third Edition (TEG3), which measures five ego states based on TA theory, and the Experiences in Close Relationships inventory-Generalized Other version (ECR-GO), which assesses attachment anxiety and avoidance. The collage works visually depicted the relationship between the "Child" ego state (Free Child or Adapted Child) and the surrounding environment ("Parent") at each developmental stage. Collages 1-2 expressed stable attachment with Free Child; Collages 3-4 depicted transformation to insecure attachment with Adapted Child following negative experiences; Collages 5-6 showed re-emergence of Free Child and movement toward secure attachment. TEG3 showed decreased Critical Parent (CP: 49→35) and Adapted Child (AC: 50→45), with increased Free Child (FC: 57→59). ECR-GO showed decreased Attachment Anxiety (54→48) and Attachment Avoidance (51→45). This case suggests that TA Developmental Collage Therapy can visualize IWM and facilitate its transformation. The findings indicate that ego states may constitute structural components of IWM, and that combining non-verbal collage techniques with verbal approaches may provide an effective therapeutic framework that complements language-based psychotherapy.

PMID: 41640895 PMCID: PMC12865483 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.102599

 

 

 

 

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