Overview

Commentary

This is a seven-item self-administered evaluation designed to help people who stutter (1) develop insight into the features that typify their speech, (2) assist them in monitoring their fluency, and (3) set goals for improved speech performance. The evaluation form is useful in a variety of situations, such as at the end of individual or group speech therapy sessions, subsequent to carrying out any speech-related activities (e.g. buying items face-to-face, using the telephone, talking to strangers), and monitoring behavioral goals. It is especially useful for people using a prolonged speech technique.

Scoring

Whilst there are three quantitative rating scales, no standardization or inter-tester validity is claimed. The figures obtained from the scale serve only as a feedback for the client to monitor performance and progress over time.

Versions

Only one version (Version 2011-1) is available.

Key Terms

Repetition

There are four main types of repetition exhibited in speech. These are repetitions of:

• sounds, e.g. I m…m…m…might
• syllables, e.g. it’s her bi…bi…bi…biscuit
• words, e.g. the girl was…was…was…was there
• phrases, e.g. I never go…I never go…I never go to football games 

Prolongation

Two types of speech sound may be prolonged:

• consonants, e.g. ssssss-so what is it? and mmmmmm-my name’s Graham
• vowels, e.g. baaaaaa-by, foooooo-ood

Hesitation

Hesitations (or hesitators) may be silent or filled:

• silent, e.g. and she said…(pause for 3 seconds)…I did it
• filled, where the silence is filled with vocalizations such as erm, uh, oh, for example, and he went…erm…there yesterday

Block

Blocking typically occurs when two articulators come together with excessive force, e.g. when the two lips come together to form the consonant sound /b/. Rather than parting the two articulators rapidly and easily, the speaker is unable to release the contact between them and a great deal of tension may build up. In severe cases a speaker may be unable to release a blocked sound for several seconds.

Fluent

Fluent speech is the smooth, easy flow of speech when a person speaks without tripping up over their words and without a lot of repetitions, prolongations, hesitations and blocks.