title: Relationship between the stuttering severity index and speech rate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The speech rate is one of the parameters considered when investigating speech fluency and is an important variable in the assessment of individuals with communication complaints.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the stuttering severity index with one of the indices used for assessing fluency/speech rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluency and Fluency Disorders Investigation Laboratory, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy adults with stuttering diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A speech sample from each participant containing at least 200 fluent syllables was videotaped and analyzed according to a stuttering severity index test and speech rate parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results obtained in this study indicate that the stuttering severity and the speech rate present significant variation, i.e., the more severe the stuttering is, the lower the speech rate in words and syllables per minute.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that speech rate is an important indicator of fluency levels and should be incorporated in the assessment and treatment of stuttering. This study represents a first attempt to identify the possible subtypes of developmental stuttering.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Objective tests that quantify diseases are important in their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Fluency and Fluency Disorders Investigation Laboratory, Department of Physiotherapy, Speech-Language and Hearing Pathology and Occupational Therapy, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. clauan@usp.br
authors.forename: Claudia Regina Furquim
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Luciana Maluf
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cervone
authors.forename: Fernanda Chiarion
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sassi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013342:Stuttering / Q000503:physiopathology*