Beyond Lexical Access: Investigating Word-Form Retrieval Difficulties in Disfluency Production
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2025-06-12
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en
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This retrospective descriptive study examined the relationship between word-form retrieval difficulties and speech disfluencies in typically aging older adults, using the Transmission Deficit Hypothesis. Twenty-five Dutch-speaking adults aged 60 to 73 completed a connected speech task in which lexical frequency (high vs. low) was manipulated. Disfluencies during picture naming were annotated and analyzed using mixed-effects models. Lexical frequency did not significantly influence overall disfluency likelihood. However, low-frequency words were linked to more semantic paraphasias and semantically related answers, and fewer additions. These results suggest that phonological encoding challenges contribute to specific disfluency types. Participants with higher vocabulary scores produced fewer semantic disfluencies, highlighting a protective role of lexical knowledge. The findings underscore the importance of differentiating disfluency types and considering task characteristics when studying language production in older adults. By isolating word-form retrieval in connected speech, this study offers a refined view of age-related disfluency patterns and discusses implications for “good-enough” language production and inhibitory control.
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