Comparison of parenting style in mothers of children with and without stuttering: a casecontrol study

Stuttering is an interactional disorder. Parents’ relationship with children is the most effective factor on family interaction patterns. Since the progress of each child in learning language is derived from a complex combination of environmental and biological factors, this study was conducted to compare parenting style in mothers of stuttering and non-stuttering children. This case-control study was conducted, on 60 children with stuttering selected by convenience sampling as the control group among elementary school children and all children who went to the speech therapy centers as the case group and 120 children without stuttering were selected by random sampling as the control group. Two groups were matched in terms for residence, sex and age. The main variables were parenting style and stuttering. The data collection form and baumrind parenting style questionnaire were completed by mothers. Data were analyzed by SPSS-19.The mean scores were 41.3 (±3.8) and 42.5 (±4.2) for authoritative parenting style, 25.9 (±3.8) and 26.4 (±4.1) for permissive style, and 29.2 (±7.2) and 25.7 (±5.6) for authoritarian style in case and control groups, respectively. The mean score of authoritarian style was significantly higher in case group than in control group. The mean score of authoritarian parenting style in mothers of stuttering child was more than in mothers of children without stuttering. Therefore, further studies are recommended on parenting style and stuttering.