The Lidcombe Program: a series of case studies with Kuwaiti preschool children who stutter

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this series of case studies was to determine (1) the impact of the Lidcombe Program on early stuttering in Arabic-speaking preschool children, (2) whether adaptations are necessary when implementing the treatment program in Kuwait, and (3) the opinions of Arab parents about the treatment program. Method: This paper reports case studies of six Kuwaiti preschool age children who stuttered, aged 4;9–5;11 years (median 5;3 years), and were treated with the Lidcombe Program. The treatment program was administered in Arabic. The outcome measures included percentage of syllables stuttered (%SS) and severity ratings (SR), treatment times, and parent report. Results: Four children completed both stages of the treatment program. Significant changes in the speech of all four children were noted, reaching below 1.0%SS. The treatment was completed in a median of 10.5, 1-hour clinic sessions, and a median of 136.5 days from commencement of the treatment program. Conclusion: Findings suggest that this Western program is applicable and effective with a Kuwaiti population when presented in Arabic.