Syllable and word based evaluation of stuttering findings of turkish- speaking children

Stuttering frequency and severity factors are assessed by using various methods and tools. In this study, syllable and word-based stuttering frequencies and severity were investigated in Turkish. A total of 61 children who stutter between the ages of 7 and 16 years were included. First, syllable and word-based stuttering frequencies were calculated from spontaneous speech data obtained from children. The concordance between stuttering frequencies was examined, and a conversion ratio was calculated. It has been observed that a word used by a school-age child who stutters consists of an average of 2.48 syllables. With this ratio, conversion from syllable to word and from word to syllable was achieved. Assessment of stuttering severity was performed via SSI-4-TR using syllable-based data and Weighted SLD using both syllable and word-based data, and the severity concordance between them was determined. According to the findings of the study, it was observed that word-based ratios were statistically significantly higher than that of syllable-based ratios in Turkish stuttering frequency calculations (p < ,001). Based on the conversion ratio of 2.48, it was observed that there was no statistically significant difference between the converted frequency values and the actual frequency values, and these values were compatible. (p < ,005). Categorical values of SSI-4-TR were consistent with word and syllable-based Weighted SLD; however, the compatibility with syllable-based Weighted SLD was higher. A ratio of 2.48 can be used to convert between syllable and word-based stuttering frequencies of Turkish- speaking school-age children who stutter. When adapting stuttering severity assessment tools to Turkish, it is important to consider the difference between the results of a calculation based on syllables and words. Keywords: School age, syllables stuttered percentage, percentage of words stutter, stuttering severity