Variability of Stuttering in Young Children: Caregivers' Perceptions and Experiences

PURPOSE: It is widely known that stuttering is variable, but few studies have examined the variability of stuttering behaviors and experiences in young children. This study aimed to increase understanding of stuttering variability in preschool children based on the perspectives of their primary caregivers. METHOD: This study employed a mixed-methods approach involving 104 primary caregivers of English-speaking children who stutter in the United States. The children's ages were 2 years 11 months to 6 years 2 months. Caregivers provided insights about the variability of their children's stuttering via an online survey that gathered information about the amount, severity, and type of variability observed. The survey also gathered information about children's emotional and behavioral reactions to variability across situations, tasks, and time, as well as about the impact of variability on children and on the caregivers themselves. RESULTS: Analyses confirmed that a high percentage of caregivers observed variability in different aspects of their children's stuttering. For example, 89% of caregivers reported that the amount of stuttering they see in their children's speech is variable. Emotional factors were identified as the most significant influencers of this variability, followed by paralinguistic, linguistic, and social factors. Variability was reported to not only affect children's communication and emotional well-being; caregivers reported that variability also affected their own emotional responses, as well as their interactions with their children. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the need for comprehensive, multifaceted clinical assessments and interventions for young children that account for variability in the behavior, impact, and experience of stuttering. Further research is needed to determine appropriate means of addressing stuttering variability in the assessment and intervention process.