Dual Diathesis-Stressor Model of Emotional and Linguistic Contributions to Developmental Stuttering

Abstract

This study assessed emotional and speech-language contributions to childhood stuttering. A dual diathesis-stressor framework guided this study, in which both linguistic requirements and skills, and emotion and its regulation, are hypothesized to contribute to stuttering. The language diathesis consists of expressive and receptive language skills. The emotion diathesis consists of proclivities to emotional reactivity and regulation of emotion, and the emotion stressor consists of experimentally manipulated emotional inductions prior to narrative speaking tasks. Preschool-age children who do and do not stutter were exposed to three emotion-producing overheard conversations—neutral, positive, and angry. Emotion and emotion-regulatory behaviors were coded while participants listened to each conversation and while telling a story after each overheard conversation. Instances of stuttering during each story were counted. Although there was no main effect of conversation type, results indicated that stuttering in preschool-age children is influenced by emotion and language diatheses, as well as coping strategies and situational emotional stressors. Findings support the dual diathesis-stressor model of stuttering.

Emotional Diathesis, Emotional Stress, and Childhood Stuttering

“…As mentioned by Walden et al (2012), the DD-S model does not clearly address how activation of emotional diathesis is associated with disruptions in fluent speech. Nevertheless, the model suggests that when 1 A diathesis (sometimes referred to as a disposition, proclivity, or vulnerability) is a relatively stable predisposing factor open to environmental influences, endogenous to individuals, and usually latent in nature (Ingram & Luxton, 2005).…”

“…The questionnaire is based on parental report and has been used in previous studies of temperament of young CWS (e.g., Eggers, De Nil, & Van den Bergh, 2009Walden et al, 2012). The standard CBQ consists of 195 items reflecting 15 scales: (a) Activity Level, (b) Anger/Frustration, (c) Approach/ Positive Anticipation, (d) Attentional Focusing, (e) Discomfort, (f ) Falling Reactivity/Soothability, (g) Fear, (h) Highintensity Pleasure, (i) Impulsivity, (j) Inhibitory Control, (k) Low-intensity Pleasure, (l) Perceptual Sensitivity, (m) Sadness, (n) Shyness, and (o) Smiling and Laughter.…”

“…This finding was taken to suggest that positive emotional stimuli may be associated with increases in children's speech disfluencies (cf. Arnold, Conture, Key, & Walden, 2011;Ntourou, Conture, & Walden, 2013;Walden et al, 2012).…”

Selektiver Mutismus bei mehrsprachigen Kindern

“…In der Literatur finden sich zahlreiche Diathese-Stress-Modelle zur Erklärung verschiedenster psychischer Erkrankungen (siehe etwa Braet, van Vlierberghe, Vandevivere, Theuwis & Bosmans, 2013;Kotsiubinskii, 2002;Patten, 2013) und auch Kommunikationsstörungen (siehe etwa Walden et al, 2012 …”

Speech-Language Dissociations, Distractibility, and Childhood Stuttering

“…Data were previously collected as part of an ongoing series of empirical investigations of linguistic and emotional associates of childhood stuttering conducted by Vanderbilt University's Developmental Stuttering Project (e.g., Arnold, Conture, Key, & Walden, 2011;Choi, Conture, Walden, Lambert, & Tumanova, 2013;Clark, Conture, Frankel, & Walden, 2012;Johnson, Walden, Conture, & Karrass, 2010;Jones et al, 2014;Millager et al, 2014;Richels et al, 2010;Walden et al, 2012). Children were paid volunteers whose caregivers learned of the study from (a) a free monthly parent magazine circulated throughout middle Tennessee, (b) a local health care provider, or (c) self-or professional referral to the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Hearing and Speech Center for an evaluation.…”