Evaluation of verbal avoidance behaviors in childhood stuttering

Stuttering is a fluency disorder that disrupts the flow of speech and is seen as repetitions, blocks and prolongations. Disfluencies are divided into two as stuttering-like disfluencies (SLD) and typical disfluencies (TD) in individuals who stutter during speech. Typical disfluencies are the types of disfluencies seen in individuals with and without stuttering. Verbal avoidance behavior refers to actions that people who stutter can take to prevent or reduce their stuttering. These behaviors may include avoiding certain words or sounds, changing words or prolonging sounds. These behaviors can be used as coping mechanisms, but they can exacerbate stuttering over time. In some cases, people who stutter may avoid social situations or communication altogether to avoid stuttering. Verbal avoidance behavior in general is a way for people who stutter to control their stuttering, but it can also have negative consequences in their lives. In our study; We determined the percentage of typical disfluencies used for verbal avoidance behavior in speech in 13 children with stuttering and 13 children with not stuttering individuals aged 8-12 years. Also, the percentage of verbal avoidance behavior in the study group and the percentage of stuttering severity and scoring in terms of CALMS-TR components were compared. Finally, the most frequently used phrase in both groups, the type of this phrase in terms of typical fluency, and the rate of the most frequently used phrase were compared. As a result of the study; No significant correlation was found between the most frequently used expression percentage, the level of speaking fluency, the cognitive, affective and motor components of CALMS-TR and the individual's verbal avoidance behavior. However, a significant relationship was found between linguistic and social component and verbal avoidance behavior. The number of participants in this study is limited due to the pandemic process. It is recommended to repeat the study with more participants.