Assessment of occupational balance and life satisfaction in adults who stutter

Stuttering can affect not only the fluency of speech but also important aspects of daily life, such as overall life satisfaction and the balance between daily occupations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate life satisfaction and occupational balance in adults who stutter and to compare these results with adults who do not stutter. In addition, the study examined the relationship between the severity of stuttering, occupational balance, and life satisfaction. This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with a control group. It included 64 adults who stutter and 64 adults who do not stutter, all aged between 18 and 45 years. Participants completed the Turkish version of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11-T) and the Turkish version of the Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS-TR) through an online platform. The severity of stuttering was assessed remotely using the Turkish version of the Stuttering Severity Instrument 4 (SSI 4-TR), via Zoom meetings. Adults who stutter reported significantly lower scores on both the OBQ11-T and the LSS-TR compared to adults who do not stutter (p < .05). In the group of adults who stutter, stuttering severity showed a strong negative correlation with both occupational balance and life satisfaction. Additionally, a strong positive correlation was found between occupational balance and life satisfaction. Together, stuttering severity and occupational balance explained 74.2% of the variance in life satisfaction scores. Adults who stutter experience decreased occupational balance and life satisfaction. The severity of stuttering appears to impact daily life through both external and internal mechanisms, such as social anxiety and internalized stigma. These results emphasize the need for intervention strategies that not only target speech fluency but also promote fuller and more meaningful participation in everyday life activities.