Stutter-free and stutter-filled speech signals and their role in stuttering amelioration for English speaking adults

This study examined the power of an exogenously generated stuttered speech signal on stuttering frequency when compared to an exogenously generated no rmal speech signal, in addition, we examined the specific components of the second speech signal, which might be responsible for the inducement of flu ency in people who stutter. Eight males and two females who stuttered parti cipated in this study. Experiment I involved meaningful speech: normal cont inuous speech, norma I interrupted speech, stuttered continuous speech, and stuttered interrupted speech, whereas Experiment II involved vowels and co nsonants: /a/, /a-i-u/, /s/, /s-sh-f/. The results indicated that stuttered and normal speech signals were equally effective in reducing stuttering fr equency. Further, the vowels were more powerful than consonants in inducing fluency for people who stutter. It is suggested th at acoustic manifestati ons of stuttering, rather th an a problem, may be a natural compensatory me chanism to bypass or inhibit the 'involuntary block' at the neural level. ( C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.