Treatment of Childhood stuttering using the Lidcombe Program in mainland China: case studies

Purpose: In mainland China, speech therapy is an emerging profession, and it estimated around 13 million people stutter. Currently, best practice for treating stuttering in young children is considered to be implementation of the Lidcombe Program. The Lidcombe Program is a behaviourally based treatment approach which involves parents delivering feedback to their child’s stuttered and stutter-free speech in structured and unstructured conversations, in a natural environment. Currently, there is no published research documenting implementation of the Lidcombe Program in mainland China. Given the cultural differences that exist between Australia (where the treatment was developed) and China, an investigation into the feasibility of the treatment into this cross-cultural context is warranted.

Methods: This study investigates implementation of the Lidcombe Program to two Mandarin-speaking children using a descriptive single case study design. The primary outcome, percent syllables stuttered (%SS), was measured within – and beyond-clinic at two assessment points, and analysed for statistically significant change.

Results: Both participants in the study achieved a significant reduction in stuttering rates, suggesting the Lidcombe Program may be a viable option to treat some children in a Mandarin-speaking population in China. Additionally, the treating therapists provided feedback on cultural considerations when implanting the program to this population. Conclusion: There is a need for research into effective and evidence-based stuttering treatments for Mandarin-speaking children in mainland China. This study is a preliminary investigation into the effectiveness of the Lidcombe Program in this context.