Public awareness of stuttering in Shanghai, China

Abstract

This study reports the results of an investigation of knowledge and public awareness of stuttering among laypersons in Shanghai, China. A total number of 1968 respondents answered a questionnaire including questions about prevalence, onset, gender distribution and occurrence in different cultures, cause, treatment, intelligence and heredity of stuttering. Stuttering appears to be a disorder that most people in the Shanghai area are familiar with, and for several aspects a considerable number of respondents held views that are in line with current knowledge about stuttering. For some aspects though knowledge is limited, indicating a need for disseminating scientific information on stuttering. The results of the present study are compared with a similar Belgium study.