Self-perception of speech rate among university students: impact on interpersonal communication and self-concept

ABSTRACT

Purpose  to investigate the self-perception of speech rate among university students and analyze its possible psychosocial impacts, considering how these individuals assess their own fluency and how it may affect aspects of interpersonal communication and self-esteem.

Methods  this is a cross-sectional and descriptive study conducted with a sample of 117 students from a public university. Self-report questionnaire was used to collect data on the perception of personal speech rate, as well as on feelings and behaviors associated with this characteristic, such as communication anxiety, self-image, and impact in social situations.

Results  the findings indicated that a significant portion of participants reported an altered self-perception of their speech rate, which is associated with relevant psychosocial consequences. Individuals who perceived themselves as speaking very fast or very slow reported greater difficulty in social interactions, insecurity when speaking in public, and increased sensitivity to external judgments. Nevertheless, the data suggest a diversity of individual experiences, mediated by subjective and contextual factors.

Conclusion  the results contribute to the understanding of self-perception of speech rate as a complex and multifactorial phenomenon, with implications for individuals’ communicative and emotional well-being. However, the lack of statistical significance in certain variables indicates that fast speech is not necessarily associated, in a generalized manner, with impairments in areas such as professional life, self-esteem, or social isolation. These findings highlight the importance of an individualized approach when analyzing the effects of speech rate, considering interindividual variability in communicative experiences.

Keywords:
Speech-language pathology; Speech; Speech perception; Self concept