The most common personality types of speech-language pathologists include the ISFJ (introvert who feels, feels, judges) and the ESFJ (extrovert, who feels, judges) (Macdaid, McCaulley & Kainz, 199). ISFJs are commonly referred to as “the defender” and are categorized as warm, empathic, and good listeners. There is no uniform distribution of the type among the population of the United States. According to the third edition of the MBTI Manual, 13.8% of the US population is ISFJ (The Defender), the most common type.
The second most common type is the ESFJ (The Caregiver). Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists) evaluate, diagnose, treat, and help prevent communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. The social skills needed to be a speech and language therapist are vital, perhaps as vital as the concrete scientific knowledge and therapeutic skills that are taught through a master's degree in SLP and a clinical fellowship. We surveyed 1,714 speech-language pathologists to learn what personality traits and interests make them unique.
In other cases, it may mean coordinating treatments so that the patient isn't too tired to participate in the cognitive aspects of speech therapy. Speech-language pathologists score highly for social responsibility, indicating that they want fair outcomes and that, in general, they care about others. Speech pathologists, more commonly called speech-language pathologists, work with people of all ages who have communication problems, cognitive difficulties affecting speech or communication, and swallowing disorders related to injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions. Patients with cognitive impairments may need to practice repeatedly to learn new speech skills or cope with deficits, and SLP may need to repeat their instructions many times, so patience is a necessary quality.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a self-report questionnaire that indicates different psychological preferences when it comes to perceiving the world and making decisions. If you're one of these archetypes or both, you might be a speech-language pathologist. As a result, all speech-language pathologists have a similar base of knowledge and skills that enable them to successfully participate in the evaluation and treatment of disorders related to speech, social communication, language, cognitive communication and swallowing in both adults and children. Positive energy comes from a warm smile, eye contact, and positive language that show that you're excited to be part of their speech and language therapy program.
First is the desire and interest to help other people, combined with sensitivity, personal warmth and tolerance. While compassion in the practice of speech-language pathology may be an obvious quality for therapists, it's also one of those qualities that are easily forgotten at the end of a long day dealing with stressful situations and challenging patients. Speech-language pathologists tend to be predominantly social people, meaning that they thrive in situations where they can interact, persuade, or help people. While the CCC-SLP certification and a state license serve as credentials as a speech-language pathologist, authorizing you to practice SLP in the state where you are licensed, they do not reflect those soft skills that make a speech-language pathologist an exceptional person.
