Listeners' perceptions of the cognitive, social, and physical competence of a speech impaired individual were investigated. Thirty-eight adults (31 female and 7 male) between 19 and 51 years of age listened to prerecorded audiotape interviews; one with a speech impaired speaker, or one with a normally speaking peer. Listeners rated the perceived cognitive, social, and physical competence of both a speech impaired speaker and a normal speaker using a modified version of the Teacher's Rating Scale of Child's Actual Competence. An independent two-sample t-test statistic resulted in significant difference between the groups in cognitive, social, and physical competence subscales. The speech-impaired individual was perceived as less competent than his normally speaking peer in cognitive, social, and physical competence.

Thesis (M.Communication Pathology) -- University pf Pretoria, 2000. / Summary in English and Afrikaans.