Inhibitory control in childhood stuttering

K. Eggers, L. de Nil, B.R.H. Van den Bergh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

97 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether previously reported parental questionnaire-based differences in inhibitory control (IC; Eggers, De Nil, & Van den Bergh, 2010) would be supported by direct measurement of IC using a computer task.
Method
Participants were 30 children who stutter (CWS; mean age = 7;05 years) and 30 children who not stutter (CWNS; mean age = 7;05 years). Participants were matched on age and gender (±3 months). IC was assessed by the Go/NoGo task of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (De Sonneville, 2009).
Results
Results indicated that CWS, compared to CWNS, (a) exhibited more false alarms and premature responses, (b) showed lower reaction times for false alarms, and (c) were less able to adapt their response style after experiencing response errors.
Conclusions
Our findings provide further support for the hypothesis that CWS and CWNS differ on IC. CWS, as a group, were lower in IC pointing toward a lowered ability to inhibit prepotent response tendencies. The findings were linked to previous IC-related studies and to emerging theoretical frameworks of stuttering development.Educational objectives: The reader will be able to: (1) describe the concept of inhibitory control, and its functional significance; (2) describe the findings on self-regulatory processes, attentional processes, and inhibitory control in CWS; (3) identify which Go/NoGo task variables differentiated between CWS and CWNS; and (4) summarize the theoretical implications for the development of stuttering and the possible clinical implications.Highlights► CWS exhibited more false alarms and premature responses on the Go/NoGo task. ► CWS showed lower reaction times for false alarms on the Go/NoGo task. ► CWS were less able to adapt their response style after experiencing response errors.
Keywords: Stuttering, Children, Inhibitory control, Temperament, Executive control
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-13
JournalJournal of Fluency Disorders
Volume38
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

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