Personality attributions based on speech samples of children with repaired cleft palates.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether or not assumptions made about personality characteristics based on speech samples differed for children with repaired cleft palates (CP) versus unaffected children.


METHODS
Audiotapes of speech samples were presented in random order to blind raters.


METHODS
The subjects were 20 children (10 females, 10 males) with repaired CP and 16 control (i.e., unaffected) children (8 females, 8 males). All children were 8 to 12 years of age, Caucasian, living in the St. Louis area, and lower-middle to upper-middle class. The raters were 20 (13 females, 7 males) 6th grade Caucasian students who attend a private school in the area.


METHODS
Raters heard tapes in a group setting, but with individual headphones, in their school's cafeteria.


METHODS
Each speech sample was rated (7-point Likert scale) by each student rater on a variety of personality characteristics based on the "Big Five" personality factors.


RESULTS
A factor analysis of the items revealed a two-factor solution, although the factors were highly negatively correlated. No significant differences were found between ratings for the CP sample and the control sample for either factor scale (ANOVA, p = .93; p = .67). Similarly, when the two factors were combined to form a single factor, no significant differences were found between the ratings for the CP sample and the control sample (ANOVA, p = .79).


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, it does not appear that children differentially associated personality characteristics based on speech to children with repaired CP versus unaffected children, in the absence of visual input.
Berry
L A
LA
Department of Psychology, St. Louis Children's Hospital, MO 63110, USA.
Witt
P D
PD
Marsh
J L
JL
Pilgram
T K
TK
Eder
R A
RA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders; D010551:Personality; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012919:Social Behavior; D013060:Speech; D013067:Speech Perception; D013637:Tape Recording; D044465:White People