Associations of Speaking-Voice Parameters With Personality and Behavior in School-Aged Children.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies suggest a link between voice disorders and personality traits. However, nearly nothing is known about the relationship between personality and voice parameters in healthy children. The present study investigated associations between children's personality and the intensity and frequency of their speaking voice. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: The study participants included 871 German children aged from 7 to 14 who had not yet experienced voice change in puberty. Within the framework of the LIFE Child study, all participants were asked to perform a speaking-voice task at four different intensity levels (quietest, conversational, presentation, and shouting voice). Associations of fundamental frequency and voice intensity with children's personality and behavioral strengths and difficulties (assessed using parent-reported questionnaires) were estimated using multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: With respect to children's personality, the analyses revealed significant positive associations between speaking-voice intensity and extraversion (eg, for the conversational voice, ß = 0.16, P < 0.001) as well as significant negative associations between voice intensity and emotional stability (eg, for the shouting voice, ß = -0.15, P = 0.004) and conscientiousness (for the shouting voice, ß = -0.10, P = 0.033). Regarding behavioral strengths and difficulties, we observed significant positive associations between voice intensity and peer-relationship problems (eg, for the conversational voice, ß = 0.14, P = 0.001) and prosocial behavior (for the conversational voice, ß = 0.11, P = 0.015). In contrast, no significant association was found between speaking fundamental frequency and personality or behavioral difficulties/strengths. CONCLUSIONS: In children, associations exist between a child's speaking-voice intensity and his or her personality, especially extraversion and emotional stability, and behavioral characteristics.

SCORS-G and Card Pull Effect of TAT Stories: A Study With a Nonclinical Sample of Children.

Previous research has shown that stimulus pull is one of the contributory factors influencing Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) responses. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of studies examining this. In particular, the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global Rating Method (SCORS-G) has been employed to examine stimulus pull in adult clinical and nonclinical samples. The present study is the first attempt to examine this issue in a nonclinical sample of children. Ninety-eight children from Italian elementary (1st to 5th grade) and middle (6th to 8th grade) schools provided narratives to six TAT cards (1, 2, 3BM, 4, 8BM, and 16). Some important findings with regard to variance within scales replicate prior findings from other studies. Furthermore, some findings regarding the specific nature of pull for particular TAT cards (1, 2, 3BM, and 4) replicate prior work. Given that Cards 8BM and 16's SCORS-G stimulus properties have not been previously studied, the pull of these cards is explored. Last, SCORS-G differences/similarities across these two age groups are highlighted. Suggestions for further research in this field are also provided, particularly concerning the use of SCORS-G and TAT for clinical assessment.

Handprints of the Mind: Decoding Personality Traits and Handwritings.

CONTEXT: Handwriting analysis is a unique, specialized and emerging scientific process that has been carried out and applied for centuries now. However, its reliability and effectiveness as a method of assessing personality and behavior is not established and is still a debatable issue. The present paper aimed to examine the possibility of a correlation between clinical diagnosis and graphological analysis and to explore the key links between the underlying personality traits and its manifestations in handwriting among children. AIM: The aim was to study the possibility of a correlation between clinical diagnosis and graphological analysis. OBJECTIVES: To explore the key links between the underlying personality traits and its manifestations in handwriting among children. To study the possibility of using Graphotherapy as a remedial tool in aid of teaching/learning techniques and behavior modifications. HYPOTHESIS: There are no significant and concrete differences between the psychodiagnostic assessment of personality through Children's Personality Questionnaire (CPQ) and handwriting analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: N = 60, age group = 8-12 years. TOOLS: CPQ - a 16 personality factor scale and a semi-structured proforma. Simple random sampling technique was used. RESULTS: The P values for the study sample were found to be greater than 0.05 at 5% level of significance to all the 14 dimensions of personality hence going in line with the null hypothesis that states "there are no significant and concrete differences between the psychodiagnostic assessment of Personality through CPQ and handwriting analysis." Graphologists were thoroughly trained to interpret on the same 14 dimensions of personality as that of CPQ, most samples were analyzed to have a lying loop, a trait, which might also be attributed to the difference found in Trait-H, further asserting the subjective limitations of most psychological tests.

Zulliger (CS) in assessing the relational maturity of children / Zulliger (SC) na avaliação da maturidade relacional de crianças / Zulliger (SC) en la evaluación de la madurez relacional de los niños

Relational maturity is an important aspect to be considered in the evaluation of children. Its development in children is considered related to sex and chronological age. The present study aimed to seek evidence of validity for the Zulliger test (Comprehensive System - CS) in the evaluation of maturity for interpersonal relationships in children. A total of 566 children, both sexes, of which 52.8% were girls, were submitted to the Zulliger test (CS). For comparison according to age, a subsample was extracted, composed of two groups of six and 12-year-olds, totaling 115 children. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the variables H, (H), A, Ad, (A), M, FC and AG. Results show findings in favor of using the Zulliger test (CS) in the evaluation of maturity for interpersonal relationships in children.

A maturidade relacional é um aspecto importante a ser considerado na avaliação infantil. Acredita-se que o seu desenvolvimento em crianças esteja atrelado às variáveis sexo e idade cronológica. Assim, o presente estudo teve como objetivo buscar evidências de validade para o teste de Zulliger (Sistema Compreensivo - SC) na avaliação da maturidade para o relacionamento interpessoal em crianças. Um total de 566 crianças, ambos os sexos, sendo 52,8% meninas, foi submetido ao teste de Zulliger (SC). Para comparação em função da idade, extraiu-se uma subamostra composta por dois grupos com seis e 12 anos, totalizando 115 crianças. As análises revelaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas para as variáveis H, (H), A, Ad, (A), M, FC e AG. Os resultados evidenciam achados em favor da utilização do teste de Zulliger (SC) na avaliação da maturidade para o relacionamento interpessoal em crianças.

La madurez relacional es un aspecto importante a considerar en la evaluación de los niños. Se cree que su desarrollo en niños esté relacionado con el sexo y la edad cronológica. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo buscar evidencias de validez para la prueba Zulliger (Sistema Integral - SI) en la evaluación de la madurez a la relación interpersonal en los niños. Un total de 566 niños, de ambos sexos, siendo 52,8% niñas, se sometieron a la prueba Zulliger (SI). Para la comparación de acuerdo a la edad, una sub-muestra de 115 niños se extrajo, que consiste en dos grupos, de seis y 12 años. El análisis reveló diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las variables H, (H), A, AD, (A), M, FC y AG. Las conclusiones muestran los resultados a favor de la utilización de la prueba Zulliger (SI) en la evaluación de la madurez a la relación interpersonal en los niños.

Zulliger (CS) in Assessing the Relational Maturity of Children / Zulliger (SC) na Avaliação da Maturidade Relacional de Crianças / Zulliger (SC) en la Evaluación de la Madurez Relacional de los Niños

Abstract Relational maturity is an important aspect to be considered in the evaluation of children. Its development in children is considered related to sex and chronological age. The present study aimed to seek evidence of validity for the Zulliger test (Comprehensive System - CS) in the evaluation of maturity for interpersonal relationships in children. A total of 566 children, both sexes, of which 52.8% were girls, were submitted to the Zulliger test (CS). For comparison according to age, a subsample was extracted, composed of two groups of six and 12-year-olds, totaling 115 children. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the variables H, (H), A, Ad, (A), M, FC and AG. Results show findings in favor of using the Zulliger test (CS) in the evaluation of maturity for interpersonal relationships in children.(AU)

Resumo A maturidade relacional é um aspecto importante a ser considerado na avaliação infantil. Acredita-se que o seu desenvolvimento em crianças esteja atrelado às variáveis sexo e idade cronológica. Assim, o presente estudo teve como objetivo buscar evidências de validade para o teste de Zulliger (Sistema Compreensivo - SC) na avaliação da maturidade para o relacionamento interpessoal em crianças. Um total de 566 crianças, ambos os sexos, sendo 52,8% meninas, foi submetido ao teste de Zulliger (SC). Para comparação em função da idade, extraiu-se uma subamostra composta por dois grupos com seis e 12 anos, totalizando 115 crianças. As análises revelaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas para as variáveis H, (H), A, Ad, (A), M, FC e AG. Os resultados evidenciam achados em favor da utilização do teste de Zulliger (SC) na avaliação da maturidade para o relacionamento interpessoal em crianças.(AU)

Resumen La madurez relacional es un aspecto importante a considerar en la evaluación de los niños. Se cree que su desarrollo en niños esté relacionado con el sexo y la edad cronológica. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo buscar evidencias de validez para la prueba Zulliger (Sistema Integral - SI) en la evaluación de la madurez a la relación interpersonal en los niños. Un total de 566 niños, de ambos sexos, siendo 52,8% niñas, se sometieron a la prueba Zulliger (SI). Para la comparación de acuerdo a la edad, una sub-muestra de 115 niños se extrajo, que consiste en dos grupos, de seis y 12 años. El análisis reveló diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las variables H, (H), A, AD, (A), M, FC y AG. Las conclusiones muestran los resultados a favor de la utilización de la prueba Zulliger (SI) en la evaluación de la madurez a la relación interpersonal en los niños.(AU)