Ethics code: IR.IAU.REC.1398.152
Abstract: (67 Views)
Background & Objective: This study aimed to investigate the cognitive and linguistic components of the CALMS test in 7–14-year-old students with stuttering in Yazd, Iran. Stuttering, a multifaceted psychomotor disorder, disrupts speech fluency and is accompanied by behavioral, emotional, social, and cognitive changes. A comprehensive evaluation of these components is crucial for designing targeted therapeutic interventions. In this cross-sectional analytical study, 74 students (59 boys, 15 girls) were selected via convenience sampling from speech therapy centers in Yazd in 2019. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the CALMS test (Cronbach’s α = 0.80), which assesses cognitive, linguistic, emotional, motor, familial, and social dimensions. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software, Pearson’s correlation, independent t-test, and ANOVA.
Methods: The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between the cognitive component score and age (p < 0.01), indicating that older students demonstrated greater awareness and understanding of their stuttering. This aligns with previous research suggesting that cognitive sensitivity to stuttering intensifies with age. For instance, older children exhibited better performance in cognitive tasks, such as identifying moments of stuttering and managing associated tensions. A significant positive relationship was also observed between the linguistic component and the duration of stuttering diagnosis (p < 0.01), implying that prolonged stuttering exacerbates linguistic challenges, particularly in complex tasks like story retelling or image description. Gender differences were significant in the linguistic component (p < 0.05), with boys scoring higher (more severe impairments) than girls, potentially due to girls’ earlier linguistic proficiency, neurodevelopmental differences, or sample gender imbalance (79.5% boys). However, no gender-based differences were found in the cognitive component, suggesting similar cognitive influences across both groups. Additionally, no significant variations in cognitive or linguistic performance were observed across educational grades, likely due to the concentration of participants in lower primary grades (34% in grades 1–2) and uneven distribution.
Results: The results underscore the necessity of multidimensional approaches in stuttering assessment and treatment. Evaluating the cognitive component, while potentially increasing sensitivity to the disorder, enables personalized interventions to enhance self-awareness and stress management. The long-term negative impact of stuttering on linguistic skills highlights the urgency of early interventions focusing on language reinforcement. Gender disparities in linguistic performance warrant further investigation with balanced samples and exploration of socio-cultural influences. Study limitations included the time-consuming nature of the CALMS test, limited access to participants, and communication challenges with younger children. Future research should employ larger and more diverse samples to examine interactions between components (e.g., cognitive-emotional or linguistic-motor) and develop integrated therapeutic protocols. Furthermore, combining objective assessments (e.g., speech analysis software) with cognitive-linguistic tests could enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy monitoring.
Methods: The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between the cognitive component score and age (p < 0.01), indicating that older students demonstrated greater awareness and understanding of their stuttering. This aligns with previous research suggesting that cognitive sensitivity to stuttering intensifies with age. For instance, older children exhibited better performance in cognitive tasks, such as identifying moments of stuttering and managing associated tensions. A significant positive relationship was also observed between the linguistic component and the duration of stuttering diagnosis (p < 0.01), implying that prolonged stuttering exacerbates linguistic challenges, particularly in complex tasks like story retelling or image description. Gender differences were significant in the linguistic component (p < 0.05), with boys scoring higher (more severe impairments) than girls, potentially due to girls’ earlier linguistic proficiency, neurodevelopmental differences, or sample gender imbalance (79.5% boys). However, no gender-based differences were found in the cognitive component, suggesting similar cognitive influences across both groups. Additionally, no significant variations in cognitive or linguistic performance were observed across educational grades, likely due to the concentration of participants in lower primary grades (34% in grades 1–2) and uneven distribution.
Results: The results underscore the necessity of multidimensional approaches in stuttering assessment and treatment. Evaluating the cognitive component, while potentially increasing sensitivity to the disorder, enables personalized interventions to enhance self-awareness and stress management. The long-term negative impact of stuttering on linguistic skills highlights the urgency of early interventions focusing on language reinforcement. Gender disparities in linguistic performance warrant further investigation with balanced samples and exploration of socio-cultural influences. Study limitations included the time-consuming nature of the CALMS test, limited access to participants, and communication challenges with younger children. Future research should employ larger and more diverse samples to examine interactions between components (e.g., cognitive-emotional or linguistic-motor) and develop integrated therapeutic protocols. Furthermore, combining objective assessments (e.g., speech analysis software) with cognitive-linguistic tests could enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy monitoring.
Keywords: CALMS test, stuttering, cognitive component, linguistic component, students, multidimensional assessment
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Rehabilitation
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