SSI-4: Crash Course

A few weeks ago, I had to give the SSI-4 for the first time. I learned about the assessment and saw it administered while in grad school, but I had never given the test myself. I spent a significant amount of time reading the manual and watching YouTube videos to ensure I was comfortable giving it. It would have been so nice to have an article handy to give the basics of the assessment. So here are the big things you need to know about the SSI-4 before giving it:

1. This test is appropriate for ages 2:10-adulthood.
2. Assessment time can vary depending on how long the speech samples obtained are.
3. To obtain the best results, it is important to audio record the speech/reading samples. A signed consent form may need to be obtained in order to audio record.
4. For individuals in third grade and older (reader), a reading sample (from the provided passages) as well as a speech sample (using the provided picture scenes) are needed.
5. For individuals younger than third grade (nonreader), two speech samples (using the provided picture scenes) are needed.
6. Speech samples should be between 150-500 syllables. It would be hard to count exact syllables as the individual was speaking, so I aimed for a 3–5-minute recording.
7. As the individual is talking about the picture scene, it is important to interject with questions or statements to give the feel of a back and forth conversation.
8. After the speech and reading samples were obtained, I found it easiest to type out the speech samples. I highlighted instances of disfluencies and made a notation of how many syllables were in each sentence. Doing this after the assessment also made it easier for me to make notes of physical behaviors.
9. Scoring the assessment is relatively easy. After you have counted all the syllables in the speech or reading sample and the number of stuttering events, you divide the number of stuttering events by the number of syllables and multiply by 100 to have your percent of syllables stuttered.
10. The percent of syllables stuttered is also referred to as the frequency. The frequency score can be obtained by matching the percentage to the chart on the front of the examiners booklet.
11. Duration is the average length of the three longest stutters. There is a rating scale on the front of the booklet as well that allows the examiner to rate the severity of physical concomitant behaviors.
12. The scores for frequency, duration, and physical concomitant behaviors are added together to obtain a total score. The percentile rank and severity rating can all be found within the booklet.

Hopefully this “crash course” makes giving the SSI-4 a bit easier and less stressful!

Riley, G. D. (2009). Stuttering severity instrument: SSI-4. Pro-Ed.

Bella Barrett M.S., CF-SLP