Which of the following terms refers to the act of stuttering?

The term that best refers to the act of stuttering is fluency disorder. Stuttering is characterized by disruptions in the flow of speech, which can include repetitions of sounds or syllables, prolongations of sounds, and blocks in speech. These disruptions impact an individual’s ability to speak smoothly and fluently, which is why 'fluency disorder' is the appropriate classification for stuttering.

Phonation pertains to the production of sound in speech and is focused on voice quality rather than the smoothness of speech flow. Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder resulting from neurological conditions that affect the muscles used for speech, leading to issues with articulation and clarity rather than fluency. Articulation disorder involves difficulties in producing specific sounds correctly and does not encompass the broader issue of fluency interruptions found in stuttering. Thus, fluency disorder is the correct term for stuttering, highlighting the nature of the speech disruption involved.