Comparing the results of Persian staggered spondaic word test in persistent developmental stutterers and normal subjects

Staggered spondaic words (SSW) test examines central auditory nervous system. Some researches show stuttering causes hyperactivity in motor system of the right hemisphere and cerebellum and decreases activity in the left hemisphere. During stuttering also, central auditory processing is decreased. The aim of this study was to compare the Persian staggered spondaic word test results between persistent developmental stutterers and normal subjects.

Thirty people with persistent developmental stuttering were participants of this cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study, which were aged 11 to 40 years. The control group matched for gender and number with stutters. They were 8 females and 22 males, with the age of 11 to 40 years, without any stuttering history, neurological diseases and auditory disorders.

Stutterers were in normal category in corrected staggered spondaic words test. The mean scores of errors of right compete, right ear, left compete, left ear and total in corrected staggered spondaic words between control and stuttering group showed significant differences. There was a significant relationship between stuttering and effect, too (p<0.05).

Based on the obtained results of this study, stutterers may have different cortical and sub-cortical brain activity than people who have not stutter. Central auditory processing abilities of stutterers are weaker than normal people.