Personality, Stuttering Severity, and Age

Abstract

Sixty-six male stutterers between the ages of 8 and 21 years were given the California Test of Personality and evaluated for stuttering severity during oral reading and spontaneous speech. Twenty-three subjects with other communicative disorders served as a control group. Simple and multiple correlation coefficients were computed among scores of personality, speech, and age. There were no significant correlations to indicate a relationship between personality maladjustment and increased age or stuttering severity. In the experimental group an interesting disparity was found between Social Standards (60th percentile) and Social Skills (30th percentile). Contrary to usual assumptions, however, signs of maladjustment were more prevalent among subjects with disorders of speech other than stuttering.