Revista CEFAC
https://revistacefac.org.br/article/doi/10.1590/1982-0216/202628312225
Revista CEFAC
Original Articles

Stuttering experience and its association with stuttering severity, fluency parameters, and feelings in adults who stutter

Experiência em gaguejar e sua associação com gravidade da gagueira, parâmetros da fluência e sentimentos de adultos com gagueira

Sallete Cristina Silva; Denise Brandão de Oliveira e Britto

http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1982-0216/202628312225 Revista CEFAC, vol.28, n3, e12225, 2026
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Abstract

Purpose: to analyze the association between speakers’ stuttering experience, stuttering severity, family history, fluency parameters, and feelings in adults with self-reported stuttering.

Methods: an analytical, cross-sectional, and observational study. Data collection instruments included a sample characterization questionnaire, the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering - Adults (OASES-A), and the Speech Fluency Assessment Protocol (PAFF), as well as the Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4) to measure stuttering severity, considering frequency, duration, and physical concomitants. The total score and classification OASES-A were used as response variables, while the explanatory variables were age, sex, family history, self-reported feelings (inferiority, frustration, fear, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and insecurity), fluency parameters (speech rate, type of disfluencies, percentage of speech discontinuity, and percentage of typical disfluencies), stuttering severity (SSI-4), speech naturalness, and OASES-A dimensions. Statistical analyses were performed using tests (Pearson’s, Fisher’s, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis) and Spearman’s correlation (p ≤ 0.05).

Results: the total sample consisted of 49 participants, mostly females (61.2%), single (79.6%), with speech/language problems (75.5%), and a family history of stuttering (67.3%). There was a significant association between the impact of stuttering on quality of life, perception of inferiority, insecurity regarding speech, the number of common disfluencies, and word flow per minute.

Conclusion: the results demonstrated statistically significant associations between the speaker's stuttering experience and the stuttering severity, fluency parameters (total disfluencies and word flow per minute), and speech-related feelings in adults who stutter.

Keywords

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder; Stuttering; Language Arts; Emotions; Self-Concept

Resumo

Objetivo: analisar a associação entre a experiência do falante em gaguejar, a gravidade da gagueira, os antecedentes familiares, os parâmetros da fluência e os sentimentos de adultos com gagueira autorrelatada.

Métodos: trata-se de um estudo observacional analítico de corte transversal. Foram utilizados como instrumentos de coleta um questionário de caracterização da amostra, a Avaliação Global da Experiência do Falante em Gaguejar - Adultos (OASES-A) e o Protocolo de Avaliação da Fluência da Fala (PAFF). Além disso, o Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI-4) foi aplicado para mensurar a gravidade da gagueira, considerando frequência, duração e concomitantes físicos. O escore total e a classificação do OASES-A foram usados como variáveis resposta. As variáveis explicativas incluíram idade, sexo, antecedentes familiares, sentimentos autorrelatados (inferioridade, frustração, medo, culpa, ansiedade, tristeza, insegurança), parâmetros da fluência (velocidade de fala, tipologia de disfluências, percentual de descontinuidade de fala, percentual de disfluências típicas), gravidade da gagueira (SSI-4), naturalidade da fala e dimensões do OASES-A. As análises utilizaram testes estatísticos (Pearson, Fisher, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis) e correlação de Spearman (p ≤ 0,05).

Resultados: a amostra total foi composta por 49 participantes, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino (61,2%), solteira (79,6%), com problemas de fala/linguagem (75,5%) e histórico familiar de gagueira (67,3%). Houve associação significativa entre o impacto da gagueira na qualidade de vida, a percepção de inferioridade, a insegurança em relação à fala, o número de disfluências comuns e o fluxo de palavras por minuto.

Conclusão: os resultados demonstraram associações estatisticamente significativas entre a experiência do falante em gaguejar e a gravidade da gagueira, os parâmetros de fluência (total de disfluências e fluxo de palavras por minuto) e os sentimentos relacionados à fala em adultos que gaguejam.

Palavras-chave

Transtorno da Fluência com Início na Infância; Gagueira; Estudos de Linguagem; Emoções; Autopercepção

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Submitted date:
22/10/2025

Accepted date:
20/03/2026

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1982-0216 (Electrónico) 1516-1846 (Impreso)
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