The effects of the physical attractiveness of the client on judgments made by speech-language pathologists at two levels of experience

Donna Renee Brooks, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine relationships between the physical attractiveness of a group of five-year-old children and judgments made by speech-language pathologists about children. This study also examined differences among judgments made by novice and expert clinicians. Forty-eight experienced clinicians and 48 student clinicians subjects viewed 12 photographs of children (6 males and 6 females) and heard 12 taped speech samples, but the combination of client picture and tape were sytematically varied across subjects. After listening to each tape, subjects rated the severity of the tape just heard, using a one-to-seven, Likert-type scale an responded to a series of questions requiring them to make predictions (ratings) about the child's prognosis for achieving normal speech, behavior in therapy, ability to transfer correct speech sound productions to nonclinical environments, likelihood of remaining in treatment until problem is remedied and the number of months that it would require. Clinicians also rated their feelings about working with the client and told how many times per week the client should be scheduled for therapy. Clinicians were not influenced by the physical attractiveness of the client when making judgment of the severity of the speech sound disorder. High attractiveness clients were judged to have a better prognosis for developing normal speech than low attractiveness clients. The attractiveness of the client also interacted with other factors to influence clinician judgments. Experience affected judgments on several items: Severity ratings, predictions of client's prognosis, ability to generalize and number of weekly therapy sessions needed. Client gender affected severity ratings and clinician's predictions of client's behavior in therapy. Severity of disorder had a significant effect on answers to all of the questions. Numerous interactions were also observed. Almost all involved interactions of experience or gender with severity. Clinician's attitude toward having a child on her caseload and the prediction of behavior in therapy showed an attractiveness by gender by severity interaction. Number of weekly sessions recommended showed an attractiveness and gender interaction.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Fristoe, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Speech therapy|Social psychology

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