Theories of stuttering

This chapter reviews some causal theories of stuttering. Sensory-motor modelling theory was developed by Megan Neilson and colleagues. The theory states, Stutterers are deficient in the neuronal processing resources responsible for determining and adaptively maintaining the auditory-motor relationships which subserve speech production. The theory proposes that environmental influences have a role in stuttering when an imbalance occurs with especially fast-talking or slow-talking parents. The interhemispheric interference model is a two-factor neuropsychological model and neural processing is an essential component. The two factors proposed in the model are together necessary and sufficient for stuttering to occur but neither is sufficient for stuttering to occur. The variability model proposes that stuttering results from the task demands of oral language on an unstable speech motor system. The extended gradient order directions into velocities of articulators model is a computational model of speech production, which the authors describe as biologically plausible.