Comparison of selective and transition attention in children and adolescents suffering from developmental stuttering with their normal counterparts

The purpose of this study was to compare the functions of selective and shifting attention in children and adolescents with developmental stuttering with their normal peers.

A comparative – cross / sectional study was designed where 30 school students were selected based on accessibility. These were selected from 11 boys’ and girl’ high schools in the town of Shahriar in Alborz Province, west of Tehran. The population comprised of 10508 students. An expert speech therapist diagnosed students and participants were divided into two groups of developmental stuttering (n=15) and non-developmental stuttering (n=15). The Wisconsin Cards (Grant & Berg, 1948) and the Stroop Test (Macleod, 1996) were administered as neuropsychological assessment. Data was analyzed using t - test.

Findings showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in functions of selective and shifting attention. In comparison with the normal group, the stuttering group had deficits in attentional functions.

With a better understanding of attentional functions of stuttering individuals as an important cognitive variables, we can take a step toward recognizing cognitive vulnerability of disorder. These findings suggest that intervention programs for children with developmental stuttering should pay attention to cognitive deficits prior to speech interventions. Cognitive deficits should be eliminated using neuropsychological implements. With the advances made in the neurological basis of speech. It is suggested that intervention at this level will be most useful in reducing the severity of speech problems.