German Non-Stuttering Primary School Children's Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Stuttering: International Comparison and Influencing Factors

IF 2.1 3区医学 Q2 AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders Pub Date : 2025-07-08 DOI:10.1111/1460-6984.70083

Hanah Miluczenko, Andrea Dohmen, Kenneth O. St. Louis, Sascha Sommer

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Stuttering, as a visible and audible deviation from the norm, often provokes negative reactions and leads to social stigmatisation. Studies have shown that there is a negative stuttering stereotype, the origins of which can be traced back to early life. As environmental reactions have a significant impact on the success of therapeutic interventions, understanding public knowledge and attitudes towards stuttering is essential to mitigate these prejudices at an early stage.

Aims

The present study collects the first specific data on the knowledge of German non-stuttering primary school children about stuttering and their attitudes towards children who stutter, and relates them to the results of previous international studies. Since no data have been collected from German-speaking children to date, there was a need to replicate international studies, to include data from German-speaking children in international databases, and to discuss German results with international data in order to identify educational needs and to be able to meet them in the future.

Methods and Procedures

A total of 78 German-speaking primary school children aged 6 to 11 were interviewed using a newly translated and adapted German version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering/Child. Participants were recruited via stakeholders (e.g., principals, teachers). Influencing factors like socio-demographic variables and previous experience with persons who stutter were included in the analysis. The data were analysed descriptively and statistically in comparison with international data and group comparisons.

Outcomes and Results

The sample (M = 8.7 yr; N_female = 47, N_male = 28, N_other = 3) showed uncertain knowledge and rather neutral, partly negative attitudes towards stuttering. Three key knowledge gaps were evident in the domains of character traits and personality of individuals who stutter, the causes of stuttering and supportive behaviour. Stuttering as an abstract behavioural attribute was overall rated more negatively than the actual person who stutters him- or herself. Personal experience was identified as a factor potentially influencing non-stuttering children's reactions to people who stutter in a positive way. Results of German-speaking children are basically in line with data from international studies. Comparisons will be discussed in this article.

Conclusions and Implications

The identified gaps in knowledge and the partly negative attitudes underline the continuing need for psychoeducational interventions in childhood, in particular, providing options for non-stuttering children to gain direct personal experience with stuttering children. In practice, educational interventions should provide information, particularly in relation to the three identified key knowledge gaps.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject

To date, data on the knowledge and attitudes of non-stuttering children have been collected in the United States of America, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, and Turkey. The studies have identified a negative stuttering stereotype that can be present from a young age and have a negative impact on the quality of life of children who stutter. Prior to the study, no data were available for German-speaking countries, and there were also no German survey instruments that could measure the variables of interest in the target group.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge

The study provides data on the knowledge and personal attitudes of German non-stuttering primary school children collected with the newly translated and adapted German version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering/Child (POSHA-S/Child). The results of the German sample are essentially consistent with previous international studies. The variable personal experience has been identified as a key predictor variable for the improvement of reactions to a person's stuttering.

What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?

The study supports, clarifies and underlines the international need for educational interventions. In the German sample, three key areas were identified: Character traits and personality of people who stutter, causes of stuttering, and supportive behaviour. Educational interventions should provide appropriate knowledge and provide a platform for exchange in order to gain personal experience with people who stutter.

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德国非口吃小学生对口吃的认识与态度：国际比较及影响因素

口吃作为一种可见和可听的对常态的偏离，经常引起负面反应并导致社会污名化。研究表明，有一种消极的口吃刻板印象，其起源可以追溯到早期生活。由于环境反应对治疗干预措施的成功具有重大影响，因此了解公众对口吃的知识和态度对于在早期阶段减轻这些偏见至关重要。本研究首次收集了德国非口吃小学生关于口吃的知识和对口吃儿童的态度的具体数据，并将其与以往的国际研究结果联系起来。由于到目前为止还没有收集到讲德语儿童的数据，因此有必要重复进行国际研究，将讲德语儿童的数据纳入国际数据库，并将德国的结果与国际数据进行讨论，以便确定教育需要，并能够在今后满足这些需要。方法和程序采用新翻译改编的德文版《人类特征民意调查-口吃/儿童》对78名6 ~ 11岁的德语小学儿童进行了访谈。参与者是通过利益相关者（如校长、教师）招募的。影响因素，如社会人口变量和以前与口吃者打交道的经验也包括在分析中。对数据进行描述性和统计学分析，并与国际数据和分组比较进行比较。结果和结果样本(M = 8.7 yr；Nfemale = 47, Nmale = 28, Nother = 3)对口吃的认识不确定，态度较为中性，部分消极。在口吃者的性格特征和个性、口吃的原因和支持行为方面，有三个关键的知识差距是明显的。口吃作为一种抽象的行为特征，总体上比实际口吃的人更负面。个人经历被认为是影响非口吃儿童对口吃者反应的一个潜在因素。德语儿童的结果与国际研究数据基本一致。本文将讨论比较。已确定的知识差距和部分消极态度强调了儿童心理教育干预的持续必要性，特别是为非口吃儿童提供选择，以获得与口吃儿童直接的个人经验。在实践中，教育干预应提供信息，特别是关于已确定的三个关键知识差距的信息。本文补充的内容迄今为止，美国、葡萄牙、波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那、波兰和土耳其已经收集了关于非口吃儿童的知识和态度的数据。这些研究已经确定了一种消极的口吃刻板印象，这种刻板印象可能从很小的时候就存在，并对口吃儿童的生活质量产生负面影响。在这项研究之前，没有德语国家的数据，也没有德国的调查工具可以衡量目标群体感兴趣的变量。本研究提供了德国非口吃小学生的知识和个人态度数据，这些数据来自新翻译和改编的德文版本的《人类属性民意调查-口吃/儿童》（POSHA-S/Child）。德国样本的结果与以前的国际研究基本一致。可变的个人经历已被确定为改善对一个人口吃的反应的关键预测变量。这项工作的潜在或实际临床意义是什么？这项研究支持、澄清并强调了国际上对教育干预的需要。在德国的样本中，确定了三个关键领域：口吃者的性格特征和个性，口吃的原因，以及支持行为。教育干预应提供适当的知识，并提供交流的平台，以便获得与口吃者的个人经验。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY-REHABILITATION

CiteScore

3.30

自引率

12.50%

发文量

116

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders (IJLCD) is the official journal of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists. The Journal welcomes submissions on all aspects of speech, language, communication disorders and speech and language therapy. It provides a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of issues of clinical or theoretical relevance in the above areas.