only that the personÆs ôspeech lacks fluencyö (Byrne, 1989, p. 2). Different physical and psychological factors or different combinations of such factors contribute to the lack of speech fluency for different individuals. It is necessary, therefore, to identify these factors with respect to each individual with a marked lack of speech fluency, before a strategy can be developed to help an individual overcome a problem of stuttering.
The term stuttering is also inadequate as a means of specifying the developmental stage of a speech fluency disorder (Byrne, 1989). When the term stuttering is used alone, no differentiation is made ôbetween a small child showing early signs of the condition and an adult in whom the condition is fully developedö (Byrne, 1989, p. 2). The differences between these two developmental stages of the speech fluency condition are apparent. Further, these two stages, to a great extent, describe the polar opposites on a continuum. There are many other stages between the polar extremes. Thus, when describing the speech fluency problem of a specific individual, it is necessary to fully describe the developmental stage of the problem that characterizes the speech behavior of that individual.
Theories Concerning the Causes of Stuttering
A wide variety of factors lead to the development of stuttering behaviors. Different factors or sets of factors apply to each individual with a stuttering problem. Some of the more prevalent of these factors are (1) a history of stuttering behavior in the family, (2) a delay in acquiring language and/or articulation, (3) significant emotional stress, and (4) fear and shyness.
With respect to a history of stuttering behavior in the family, the literature indicates that the prevalence of stuttering behaviors is higher in some families than in others (Byrne, 1989). This prevalence is not necessarily an indication of a genetic cause. The psychological environment wi...