Which characteristic is indicative of cluttering?

The characteristic that is indicative of cluttering is reduced awareness of communication difficulties. Individuals who clutter often do not realize that their speech is problematic, which can lead to challenges in their communication. This lack of awareness is a defining feature of cluttering, setting it apart from other fluency disorders, such as stuttering, where individuals are typically more aware of their disfluencies.

In cluttering, symptoms may include rapid speech and difficulty organizing thoughts, but the key aspect is that the person may not recognize the impact their speech patterns have on effective communication. This reduced self-awareness can contribute to difficulties in social interactions and may lead to frustration for listeners trying to understand the speaker.

Other features listed in the options, such as excessive repetitions, avoidance behaviors, and attempts to hide disfluencies, are more strongly associated with stuttering than with cluttering. Understanding the lack of awareness in cluttering helps in identifying and distinguishing it from other communication disorders.