Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, cilt.2025, sa.27, ss.1156-1167, 2025 (TRDizin)
Recent technological advances in the field of health services have been effectively applied to the evaluation and therapy processes of communication disorders in the domain of speech and language therapy. Within the framework of communication disorders, various technological interventions are also applied in the field of stuttering. Stuttering is defined as a speech disorder characterised by involuntary blocking, repetition, or prolongation of speech fluency, sounds, syllables, or words. A substantial body of epidemiological research has revealed that stuttering is a prevalent disorder on a global scale, with incidence rates as high as 5% in the paediatric population and up to 1% in adults. In the field of stuttering rehabilitation, technological applications play a pivotal role. These include virtual reality, mobile applications and telerehabilitation. Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that offers users realistic experiences in computer-aided three-dimensional environments and allows them to interact directly with these environments. In the context of stuttering therapies, this technology enables individuals to develop more effective coping strategies in challenging situations by simulating real-life speech scenarios. VR-based virtual simulations allow individuals with social anxiety to safely practice their social skills and reactions by interacting with realistic avatars in a virtual environment. Mobile applications represent a digital tool that can assist users in enhancing their speaking abilities and in comprehending stuttering-related situations they encounter in their daily lives. These applications offer individuals the opportunity to undertake speech therapy exercises at their own pace, to record their progress regularly, and to communicate easily with their therapists when necessary. Telerehabilitation has been identified as a potentially effective solution for individuals with limited access to health services, particularly those residing in remote areas, by providing easier access to rehabilitation services. This method, which can substitute for traditional face-to-face rehabilitation, enables individuals to continue their therapy processes uninterruptedly through remote connection. Within this scope, a systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ResearchGate, YÖK Thesis, and Web of Science databases between 2000 and 2024. Of the 55 studies identified, 13 met the inclusion criteria. Consequently, technological rehabilitation, and in particular virtual reality-based approaches, is regarded as a promising method in stuttering therapies. The findings obtained reveal that virtual reality-based rehabilitation applications can offer an innovative and successful solution in reducing social anxiety associated with stuttering.