Which behaviors are easier to distinguish in stuttering?

Struggle and escape behaviors are indeed easier to distinguish in stuttering because they are often observable and linked directly to the experience of stuttering itself. Struggle behaviors manifest as physical tension or effort during the attempt to speak, indicating the speaker's struggle with fluency. This can include facial grimaces, body movements, or audible tension in the voice. On the other hand, escape behaviors occur when a person attempts to break free from a moment of stuttering; this might include using interjections, changing words, or even pausing abruptly to avoid speaking difficulties.

Both types of behaviors are directly related to the stuttering moment and reflect an individual's physical response to their speech patterns. They distinguish the experience of stuttering from other types of speech disfluency, making them more apparent to observers and practitioners. This is contrasted with other options, such as escape and avoidance behaviors, where avoidance might not manifest directly during speech and can be more subtle, or normal versus disfluent behaviors, which can often blend and may require careful analysis to differentiate. By focusing on struggle and escape behaviors, clinicians can more readily identify the presence of stuttering and tailor interventions more effectively.