Investigation of the psychosocial status of individuals followed for stuttering

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stuttering is defined as a disorder that occurs in the rhythm of speech due to involuntary repetitive prolongation and interruption of the voice, although the person knows exactly what to say. Stuttering can be associated with some psychiatric disorders. In this study conducted throughout Turkey, it was aimed to compare the psychosocial status of adults who stutter compared to adults who do not stutter. The population of the study, which was designed as a cross-sectional type, consisted of individuals over the age of 18 who stutter and do not stutter, who agreed to participate in the study from various regions of Turkey. A total of 329 people, of whom 161 stuttered and 168 did not, were included in the study. Research data were obtained by online survey forms between October 2021 and January 2022. A sociodemographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Scale, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) were administered to all participants. Beck Depression İnventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and Personal and Social Performance Scale scores of individuals who stutter were found to be significantly more negative than those who do not stutter. According to the correlation analysis, the Beck Depression İnventory and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale showed a positive correlation in the patient group, while a negative correlation was found between the Personal and Social Performance Scale, the Beck Depression İnventory and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Depression and social anxiety disorder were found to be significantly higher in adult stutterers than in non-stuttering individuals. The individual and social performances of adult stutterers were again significantly reduced compared to adults who did not stutter. For this reason, in the treatment of stuttering, it is important to treat psychological disorders in addition to speech therapy.