Laterality preferences in adult female and male stutterers

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences among 18 male and 18 female stutterers and 18 male and 18 female nonstutterers on a meaningful linguistic, dichotic word task. Subjects responded to a 36-item dichotic word test using a gestural, double response paradigm. A significant difference was found between stuttering and nonstuttering subjects in the magnitude of the ear preference. No significant differences were found between male and female stutterers. Female stutterers with an atypical ear preference tended to be severe or very severe stutterers. Eleven of the 12 right-ear preferences for female stutterers were in the mild severity category.