A Comparison of Characteristics of Males and Females in Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Programs Gregory L. Lof MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA Robin Mullen New England Sinai Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, Stoughton, MA Leanne Rabinoy Northeastern University, Boston, MA. | ales represent approximately 5.59% of the speech-language pathology membership of the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA), with their numbers substa- tially decreasing over the last 20 years (ASHA, 1997; Goldberg, 1994; Werven, 1994). Although ASHA is ABSTRACT: A questionnaire was distributed nationally to 1 quasirandom selection of male and female speech language pathology graduate students to determine ender differences in five areas: (a) academic back: brouitds, expestences, ant iufluences betbre ene Braduate programs; (b) professional expectations; (2) perceived treatment within graduate programs by peers and faculty: (variables that influenced graduate .05), for males and females (Figure 2), For males, there was an average of 4.68 years (range = 0-22, SD = 5.44) after their undergraduate degree before they decided to enter a speech-language pathology program and 5.76 years (fange = 0-23, SD = 6.31) until actual enrollment. These numbers were different for females: Females decided after 4.16 years (range = 0-16, SD = 4.48) from their undergraduate degree and actually enrolled in a program on an average of 4.28 years (range = 0-17, SD = 4.57) after their undergraduate degree was awarded, Males take slightly longer to decide to enter the field of speech- language pathology than females and a longer time to enroll in a program. This may be because so many males have not heard of speech-language pathology as a discipline: of the students without undergraduate degrees in speech-language pathology, 50% of the males and 44% of the females did not know the field existed when they were undergraduates. Te was more common for males in graduate schools to hhave had a speech-language problem than their female peets (Figure 3). Thirty-eight percent of the males and 14% fof the females reported that they had or curently have speech-language problem, & statistically significant differ Lof et Figure 2. Number of years after the student's undergraduate degree to decide and then actually enrall ina graduate speech-language pathology program. ‘Avarage ruber of years to cide Tovntors grasate program Ima gradust progam feivaie arena] Figure 3. Percentage of students with a diagnosed speech= language problem, along with the severity and type of sisorder Porcont cence (Z2(1, N = 117) = 8.39, p <.05). All of the ‘emales (100%) with a history of a communication disorder classified their problems as “mild,” but only 66% of the males felt that their problem was “mild.” Twenty-five percent of the males rated their problem as “mode-ate,” and 8% as “severe.” For both genders, the majority of the disorders were with articulation (Le., males 50%, females (68%), with near equal gender distribution for fluency (i.e. males 31%, females 25%) and voice disorders (ic, males 12%, females 13%). Perhaps the reason many men become speech-language pathologists is because of their direct exposure to the field as clients in therapy due to 3 moder- ate-severe communication disorder. Males and Females in Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Prograns 139 ‘Average number oyears to entLess than one-half of the respondents reported that they considered becoming an audiologist instead of a speech language pathologist. There was not a significant difference botween the genders (73 (I, N'= 117) = 101, p > 08), with the percentages (ie. males 44%, females 41%) and the Primary reasons for selecting speech-language pathology instead of audiology being almost the same (in order of importance): (a) mare job possibilities, (b) more people- oiented, (¢) beter choice of work seting, and (2) greater variety of elon. For the students who had & speech-language pathology undergraduate degree, 45% of the males and 52% of the females changed thet majors from another degree program, 4 nonsignificant difference ((I, N'= 45) = 086, p > (05). The primary reasons given by the males for the Switch ftom the other major (in order of impoctance) were: (@) no longer challenging, (b) difficult 0 obtain employ- ‘ment, and (€) not people-orented. For females, the reasons {in order of importance) were: (2) not personally rewarding, (©) no longer challenging, (€) difficult to obtain exploy- ‘ment, and (2) the subject matter was no longer interesting ‘Although males and females were not separately studied by Rockwood and Madison (1993), they reported that students enter speech-language pathology because: (a) they ‘wanted to work in a “helping field," (b) job availability ‘was good, (e) they had contact with professionals in speech-language pathology, and (d) they enjoyed the Inwoductory courses. The present survey data and previous findings provide valuable data on potential reasons students choose speech-language pathology as a profession, and this information ean be used to reeruit undergraduate students ‘who are currently enrolled in other degree programs Question 2: What are the differences in professional expectation between males and females? ‘There was a significant difference in employment setting preference fora frst job for males and females G2 (4, N = 117) = 10.237, p <.05) (Figure 4). Specifically, for males, 31% desired work in a medical seting as compared to 42% of the females; 19% of the males wanted to work in an educational setting compared with 33% of the females: and 19% of the males, compared with 12% of the females, preferred a schabiiation seuing. More males were unsure Of their preferred first place of employment than were females (Le, males 24% females 13%). ‘These percentages for females in this study are similar to those reported by Lass etal. (1995). Although these researchers did not separate data for males and females, i can be assumed that more females than males wete inthe response pool. They reported that approximately SO of the students wanted to work in a hospital setting, 30% in the Schools, just more than 10% in “oer” settings, and fess than 5% in nursing homes, Rockwood and Madison (1993) also did not separate their data into male-female categories (82.5% of theit respondents were female) when they reported that 46% of all respondents wanted to work in a hospital seting, 26% in schools, 13% in 8 private elie, and approximately 15% in other setings. Most stadens appeat 10 want to work in some kind af medical setting for their frst job. However, most speech-language pathologists dio not work in medical settings (39% work in some form Figure 4. Preferred employment setting for a fist job. Percent of medical setting), but rather in educational setings (55% ‘work in educational settings) (ASHA, 1997). There may be 1 shift away from this first preference due to recent funding changes that have reduced the number of jcbs in medical settings (Davolt, 1999). In response to questions concerning the preferred age of clients (Figure 5), 43% of the males preferred work with adults and 31% with children, For the female, it was just the opposite, with 26% reporting their desize to wok with adults and 48% with childron, A large and equal number (e., approximately 22%) of males and females were unsure of their preference. These age preferences are significantly different for males and females (72 3, N = 117) = 784, p < 05). The age of clients that speech-language pathologists actually work with has remained fairly stable over the past Figure 5. Preference for age of clients to work with clinically a Percent zeeegezes 140 Conrenroraay Issuus 1v Communication Scisnce ano Disonbens + Volume 26 + 137-149 + Fall 199915 years (Slater, 1992). Approximately 57% of the case- loads of practicing speech-language pathologists are children between the ages of birth 10 17 years (ASHA, 1997). The finding that more females than males want to provide therapy to children appears to fit some of the typical male-female stereotypes that females are more “child-oriented” than are males. Nearly equal numbers (.c., approximately 76%) of males and females at the master’s level have considered pursuing 4 PAD at sometime in the foture (Figure 6). When asked if they would actually do so within the next 10 years, 67% of the males and 77% of the Females thought there was 2 greater than 50% likelihood that they would enroll. When asked if the likelihood was greater than 75%, almost equal numbers of males and femeles thought it was possible (Le. males 33%, females 30%) they would enroll in a program Within the next 10 years. ‘When Rockwood and Madison (1993) asked similar questions concerning intent to pursue a PhD to master’s students in one Western state graduate program, in which only 7.5% were males, they found that approximately 13% thought it was “highly likely” they would enter a PhD program, 17% responded it was “likely.” but at least 41% felt chat it was unlikely. Actually, very few students pursue a PhD in speech-language pathology (Lof, Robinson, & Smith, 1998). Geffner (1997) reported that recently, the lowest number of PhD degrees was awarded in communication sciences and disorders, In 1997, only 4406 students applied to U.S. PhD programs, with 185 accepted (45.6%) but only 133 enrolled (71.9% of the ‘number accepted) (Council of Graduate Programs in Communication Sciences & Disorders, 1997). Even though many master’s Ievel students reported here and in other surveys state that they would like to obtain an advanced degree, very few actually do so If a clinical doctorate was offered, a large percentage of both males and females responded that they would consider Figure 6. Percentage of students who have considered a higher degiee aiter completion of a master’s degree Percent as (aera)