Examining the general intelligence performance of pre-school and school age stuttering children with WİSC-R test

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the intelligence score of 40 stuttering child without any known disorder/disease/disability other than stuttering and with normal hearing capability, and 30 children with fluent speaking capability by means of an intelligence test. In this context, problematic question of the study can be expressed as: 'Are intelligence level of pre-school and school age stuttering children (6-15)' and 'Is there a difference between the intelligence scoores of stuttering children and children with fluent speaking capability (6-15). Stuttering group consists of 40 stuttering childen between the ages of 6-15, who study at MEB's (Ministry of Education) Mehmetçik Primary School in Sultangazi, İstanbul, who have 'Special Education Assessment Authority Report' issued by Sultangazi Fahri Aygün Directorate of Guidance and Research Center.' Group with fluent speaking capability consists of 30 children between the ages of 6-15, who study at MEB's (Ministry of Education) Mehmetçik Primary School in Sultangazi, İstanbul. Students' parents were requested to fill two forms titled 'General ınformation Form' and 'Child Information Form' in order to have a general idea about the psycho-social characteristics of children and determine demographic characteristics. Following this, Wisc-R-Intelligence test was individually applied to each patient. A multidimensional analysis was conducted in order to determine the intelligence score of children. With this score, each child was subject to intelligence classification. The course of the study were evaluated, IBM SPSS Statistics 22 (IBM SPSS, Turkey) software was used. Parameters' compliance with normal distribution was evaluated with Shapiro Wilks test and it was determined that parameters comply with normal distribution. When research data was evaluated, Student t test was used for comparison of quantitative data, comparison of scores according to gender in addition to defining statistical methods. Chi-square test on one-eyed scheme was used for the comparison of qualitative data. Significance was determined on the level of p<0.05. In control and study group, statistically significant difference was not determined between verbal score, performance score and total score averages according to genders (p>0.05). In control and study group, statistically significant difference was not determined between general knowledge, arithmetic and vocabulary score average values according to genders (p>0.05). In control and study group, statistically significant difference was not determined between picture completion, picture ordering and password score average values according to genders (p>0.05). Similarity score averages of male students in stuttering group, is higher than female students on a statistically significant level (p:0.007; p<0.01). 40 stuttering child in study group and 30 children with fluent speaking capability in the control group received normal intelligence score and categorized under normal intelligence classification. Based on this, according to the results obtained from the study, it was determined that there is not a statistically significant difference between two groups. A statistically significant difference was not determined between the educational status of parents and children's intelligence scores and verbal and performance areas for the sub-fields of intelligence scores. Key words: Stuttering, fluent speaking, intelligence, Wisc-R test, school age, preschool, child, picture completion, cube pattern, password, trial, arithmetic