Abstract
The influence of personality on therapy outcomes is largely unknown. However, clinical success in a broad sense may be influenced appreciably by personality, as persons with differing personalities comprise a therapy team. Purpose: This study assessed the personality traits of a large number of graduate students in speech-language pathology and compared the results to those of a generation ago. This information is valuable in preparing students for both educational and workplace success. Method: A total of 320 graduate students in speech-language pathology at six universities completed the Keirsey Temperament Sorter-II. Frequency and proportional data of personality type and temperament and means for the bipolar constructs were analyzed. Results: A majority of the students preferred a Sensing-Judging (SJ) temperament at a rate that is double that of the US population. (Persons with a SJ temperament tend to be realists who prefer organization and service.) With the exception of one, universities were statistically comparable in their students’ bipolar constructs. Conclusion: This study confirms recent findings of a preference for the SJ temperament in graduate speech-language pathology students. Although these findings indicate a clear shift in the personality of students from a generation ago, clinical educators and workplace managers must be knowledgeable of and diligent in the utilization of all team members’ personalities to facilitate educational and clinical success.
Recommended Citation
Baggs TW. Has Speech-Language Pathology Changed? Personality Types of Contemporary Students. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2013 Jan 01;11(1), Article 5.
