[Conditions in stuttering. Results of an interdisciplinary study of 3- to 5-year-old children. Child psychiatric aspects].

Abstract

An interdisciplinary study was conducted with 67 children aged three to five years at the onset of speech fluency impairment as well as with 50 controls identical to the above group by age and sex. Findings reported are on psychic conditions which were obtained by interviews with and examinations of parents and children as well as by watching children at play and by means of questionnaires. Children with disruption of speech (DS) significantly differed from children in the control group (CG) with regard to prevailing mood, affect, psychic stability, capability of concentration, sociability and timidity. These personality traits and behaviours deviating from normal with differing intensity, are interpreted as stutter-specific condition for consolidation of the disorder rather than as cause of the latter. Ways of intervention will depend on several aspects, including the specific influence of psychic components on the condition of the individual.