Effectiveness of stuttering modification treatment in school-age children who stutter: A randomized clinical trial
Open accessAbstract
Purpose: This study investigated the effectiveness of the stuttering modification intervention Kinder Dürfen Stottern (KIDS) in school-age children who stutter. Method: Seventy-three children who stutter were included in this multicenter, two-group parallel, randomized, wait-list controlled trial with a follow-up of 12 months. Children aged 7–11 years were recruited from 34 centers for speech therapy and randomized to either the immediate-treatment group or the 3 months delayed-treatment group. KIDS was provided by 26 clinicians who followed a treatment manual. Although the primary outcome measure was the impact of stuttering (Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering–School-Age [OASES-S]), the secondary outcomes included objective and subjective data on stuttering severity. Results: At 3 months postrandomization, the mean score changes of the OASES-S differed significantly between the experimental ( n = 33) and control group ( n = 29; p = .026). Furthermore, treatment outcomes up to 12 months were analyzed ( n = 59), indicating large effects of time on the OASES-S score ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .324). This was paralleled by significant improvements in parental ratings and objective ratings (stuttering severity, frequency, and physical concomitants). Conclusions: The significant short-term treatment effects in the OASES-S are in line with the (initial) focus of KIDS on cognitive and affective aspects of stuttering. Over 12 months, these changes were maintained and accompanied by behavioral improvements. The results suggest that individual treatment with KIDS is an adequate treatment option for this age group. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24207864
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
There has been little empirical research on therapies designed to address the emotional impact of stuttering, including anxiety, for child and adolescent treatment.
“However, there has been little empirical research on therapies designed to address the emotional impact of stuttering, including anxiety, for child and adolescent treatment (Johnson et al., 2023b; Kohm ¨ ascher et al., 2023).”
From Speaking face-to-face with a virtual avatar to reduce anxiety in students who stutter: Tool development and pilot study results. (2026) · cites this paper as Kohmäscher et al., 2023
The Evidence Base section (p. 3) says little is known about treatment effectiveness for children aged 6–13 and notes a lack of randomized trials for that age group. It also describes a treatment aimed at reducing negative psychological reactions, but it does not establish a research gap specifically for anxiety-focused therapies or for adolescents. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
This paper’s reference list could not be split into single entries.
Statistical power analyses using G∗Power 3.1: tests for correlation and regression analyses
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A.-G. (2009) · Behavior Research Methods · doi:10.3758/brm.41.4.1149 · Cited by 37,615 · see citing works
Answering the Call for a Standard Reliability Measure for Coding Data
Hayes, A. F., & Krippendorff, K. (2007) · Communication Methods and Measures · doi:10.1080/19312450709336664 · Cited by 4,225 · see citing works
The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
Bickenbach, J. E., & Jerosch‐Herold, C. (2009) · UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) · Cited by 1,600 · see citing works
Stuttering: An Integrated Approach to Its Nature and Treatment
Guitar, B. E. (1991) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 975 · see citing works
Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Otto, C., Adedeji, A., Napp, A.-K., Becker, M., Blanck-Stellmacher, U., Löffler, C., Schlack, R., Hölling, H., et al. (2021) · Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz · doi:10.1007/s00103-021-03291-3 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Direct versus Indirect Treatment for Preschool Children who Stutter: The RESTART Randomized Trial
de Sonneville-Koedoot, C., Stolk, E. A., Rietveld, T. C. M., & Franken, M.-C. J. P. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0133758 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Self-citationStuttering and Related Disorders of Fluency
(2022) · Thieme Medical Publishers eBooks · doi:10.1055/b-0042-189411 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
A Control/Experimental Trial of an Operant Treatment for Early Stuttering
Onslow, M., Andrews, C., & Lincoln, M. (1994) · Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research · doi:10.1044/jshr.3706.1244 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
A preliminary investigation of daily variability of stuttering in adults
Constantino, C. D., Leslie, P., Quesal, R. W., & Yaruss, J. S. (2016) · Journal of Communication Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2016.02.001 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Blood, G. W., & Blood, I. M. (2016) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2016.10.002 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Recounting the K-12 school experiences of adults who stutter: A qualitative analysis
Daniels, D. E., GABEL, R. M., & Hughes, S. F. (2011) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2011.12.001 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Experimental treatment of early stuttering: A preliminary study
Franken, M.-C. J. P., der Schalk, C. J. K.-V., & Boelens, H. H. (2005) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2005.05.002 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Self-citationAn experimental investigation of the impact of the Lidcombe Program on early stuttering
Harris, V., Onslow, M., Packman, A., Harrison, E., & Menzies, R. G. (2002) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/s0094-730x(02)00127-4 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Baxter, S., Johnson, M., Blank, L., Cantrell, A., Brumfitt, S., Enderby, P., & Goyder, E. (2015) · International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders · doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12171 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
krippendorffsalpha: An R Package for Measuring Agreement Using Krippendorff's Alpha Coefficient
Hughes, J. (2021) · The R Journal · doi:10.32614/rj-2021-046 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Vogel, M., Meigen, C., Sobek, C., Ober, P., Igel, U., Körner, A., Kieß, W., & Poulain, T. (2021) · JCPP Advances · doi:10.1111/jcv2.12004 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Brignell, A., Krahe, M. A., Downes, M., Kefalianos, E., Reilly, S., & Morgan, A. T. (2021) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2021.105843 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Sommer, M., Waltersbacher, A., Schlotmann, A., Schröder, H., & Strzelczyk, A. (2021) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2021.645292 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Consensus Guidelines for the Assessments of Individuals Who Stutter Across the Lifespan
Brundage, S. B., Ratner, N. B., Boyle, M. P., Eggers, K., Everard, R., Franken, M.-C. J. P., Kefalianos, E., Marcotte, A. K., Millard, S. K., Packman, A., et al. (2021) · American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology · doi:10.1044/2021_ajslp-21-00107 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Self-citationLong‐ and short‐term results of children's and adolescents' therapy courses for stuttering
Laiho, A., & Klippi, A. (2007) · International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders · doi:10.1080/13682820600939028 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Review of Telehealth Stuttering Management
Lowe, R., O’Brian, S., & Onslow, M. (2013) · Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica · doi:10.1159/000357708 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Phase II trial of a syllable-timed speech treatment for school-age children who stutter
Andrews, C., O’Brian, S., Onslow, M., Packman, A., Menzies, R. G., & Lowe, R. (2016) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2016.06.001 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
A Review of Stuttering Intervention Approaches for Preschool-Age and Elementary School-Age Children
Sidavi, A., & Fabus, R. (2010) · Contemporary Issues in Communication Science and Disorders · doi:10.1044/cicsd_37_s_14 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Non-pharmacological interventions for stuttering in children six years and younger
Sjøstrand, Å., Kefalianos, E., Hofslundsengen, H. C., Guttormsen, L. S., Kirmess, M., Lervåg, A., Hulme, C., & Næss, K.-A. B. (2021) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd013489.pub2 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Speech restructuring group treatment for 6-to-9-year-old children who stutter: A therapeutic trial
Euler, H. Α., Merkel, A., Hente, K., Neef, N. E., von Gudenberg, A. W., & Neumann, K. (2020) · Journal of Communication Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.106073 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Tomaiuoli, D., Gado, F. D., Marchetti, S., Scordino, L., & Vedovelli, D. (2021) · International Journal of Telerehabilitation · doi:10.5195/ijt.2021.6380 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Therapieerfolgsstudie zum Stottertherapie-Sommercamp 2000 für Kinder und Jugendliche
Baumeister, H., Caspar, F., & Herziger, F. (2003) · PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie · doi:10.1055/s-2003-43390 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Pathogenese, Diagnostik und Behandlung von Redeflussstörungen
Neumann, K., Euler, H. Α., Hg, B., Cook, S., Sandrieser, P., Schneider, P., Sommer, M., & Thum, G. (2016) · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Alpermann, A., Huber, W., Natke, U., & Willmes, K. (2011) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2011.11.006 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Alpermann, A., Huber, W., Natke, U., & Willmes, K. (2010) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2010.05.007 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Zang, J., Zückner, H., & Schulte, K. (2010) · Sprache · Stimme · Gehör · doi:10.1055/s-0029-1271725 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
CARE Model of Treatment for stuttering: Theory, assumptions, and preliminary findings
Byrd, C. T., Coalson, G. A., & Conture, E. G. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1488328 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Coalson, G. A., Byrd, C. T., Werle, D., Croft, R. L., & Mahometa, M. J. (2024) · American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology · doi:10.1044/2024_ajslp-23-00234 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
A professional perspective on EBP in stuttering: How far have we come in 20 years?
Ratner, N. B., & Brundage, S. B. (2025) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106171 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Swift, M. C., & Langevin, M. (2024) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2024.106076 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Delangle, M., Moïse-Richard, A., Leclercq, A.-L., Labbé, D., Bouchard, S., Andrews, S., & Ménard, L. (2026) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2026.106194 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
A pilot study of stuttering treatment for older children (STOC)
Einarsdóttir, J. T., Karlsson, Þ., Bergþórsdóttir, Í. Ö., Halldórsdóttir, K. L., & Crowe, K. M. (2025) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106102
Rehabilitation and Prognosis of Speech Fluency Disorders
Block, S., Brosch, S., Craig, A. R., Eggers, K., Euler, H. Α., Georgieva, D., Llamas, M. J. V., Maguire, G. A., Wong, S., & Yaruss, J. S. (2025) · European manual of medicine · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-25175-7_10
Neef, N. E., Niemann, I., Merkel, A., Anders, K., Hente, K., Joisten, J. M., von Gudenberg, A. W., & Riedel, C. H. (2025) · Journal of Fluency Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106167
Collins, J., Harrison, E., Walters, J., & Unicomb, R. (2026) · American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology · doi:10.1044/2026_ajslp-25-00312
- Authors
- Kohmäscher, A., Primaßin, A., Heiler, S., Avelar, P. D. C., Franken, M.-C., & Heim, S.
- Affiliations
- FH Münster University of Applied Sciences (DE)
- RWTH Aachen University (DE)
- Erasmus MC (NL)
- Forschungszentrum Jülich (DE)
- Venue
- Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
- Published
- 2023-11-09
- Volume
- 66
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 4191-4205
- ISSN
- 1092-4388 (ISSN-L)
- 1558-9102
- OpenAlex
- W4387395701
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 2.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Stuttering Research and Treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Keywords
- elementary school students, stuttering, stuttering severity, stuttering frequency, treatment effectiveness, maintenance of treatment effects
- MeSH terms
- Child, Humans, Quality of Life, Schools, Speech Therapy, Stuttering, Treatment Outcome
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
