Preliminary Study on Effects of Temperament Characteristics on Early Development of Stuttering Children

Yoko Wakaba¹, Megumi Iizawa¹, Keiko Gondo², Sumiko Inouei³, and Hiroshi Fujino^4
1The Research Institute for the Education of Exceptional Children,Tokyo Gakugei University, Nukuikita 4-I-I, Koganei, Tol<yo,]84-850], Japan
²Department of Early Childhood Education, St. Margaret's Junior College, Kugayama 4-29-23, Tokyo,168-8626, Japan
³R&D Center, PIGEON Corporation, 6-20-4, Kinunodai, Yawara-rnura, Tsukuba-gun, Ibaraki, 300-2495, Japan
⁴Department of Education for Children with Disabilities, Faculty of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University, Nukuikita 4-I-1, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8501, Japan

SUMMARY

Temperament is considered to be an important factor influencing the onset and development of stuttering in children. Wakaba estimates that one-third of children who stutter can be characterized as a difificult child, a higher proportion than among normally fluent children. This study examines two groups of subjects, five in an “Easy Child” group and five in a “Difficult Child” group. Four data collection strategies were used to assess the developmental history and behavior characteristics of the children and their relationships with their parents. Temperament was found to be a contributory factor in the development of stuttering symptoms associated with tension in the “Difficult Child” group. More subjects need to be studied before these results can be generalized.
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