disfluency
Interruptions or hesitations in speech flow that disrupt the normal rhythm and timing of verbal communication.
Full Definition
Disfluencies are breaks or hesitations in the normal flow of speech that can include repetitions of sounds or words, prolongations of sounds, or blocks where no sound is produced. In speech pathology documentation, editors must distinguish between normal developmental disfluencies and pathological stuttering patterns. These interruptions are measured in frequency and type to determine severity levels and treatment approaches. Speech pathologists document disfluency patterns to track therapeutic progress and establish baseline measurements.
Usage
Usage note: Avoid the incorrect spelling 'dysfluency' - the correct term uses 'dis-' not 'dys-'.
In Context
- "The client exhibited 15 disfluencies per 100 words during the conversational sample." — Speech pathology assessment report
- "Sound prolongations were the most frequent type of disfluency observed." — Clinical progress note