Character Strengths as a Tool for Holistic Student Recruitment in Speech-Language Pathology

Abstract

The demand for speech-language pathologists is projected to grow by 25% between 2019 and 2029, with a significant shortage already impacting school settings. To address this, recruitment strategies that identify individuals well-suited for the profession are critical. This study explores the potential of using character strengths to inform recruitment into the field of speech-language pathology. Specifically, it examines which character strengths are associated with an orientation toward human-centered careers in high school students and which are linked to a sense of meaningful work and vocational calling among current undergraduate and graduate communication sciences and disorders (CSD) students. Participants included 54 high school students from a high school in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and 38 undergraduate and graduate CSD students at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. All participants completed measures of character strengths, career orientation, and perceived meaningfulness of work or vocational calling. Pearson correlations were used to analyze the relationships between character strengths and career perceptions within each group. The top strengths identified in each sample were then compared to determine shared traits. Eight-character strengths emerged as common to both groups and highly associated with either career orientation or a sense of vocational calling: Kindness, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Spirituality, Teamwork, Gratitude, Perspective, Leadership, and Social Intelligence. These findings suggest that character strengths may serve as useful indicators for identifying individuals who are well-aligned with the values and demands of the speech-language pathology profession. This study offers a preliminary framework for incorporating character strengths into holistic recruitment and training approaches. By aligning personal strengths with professional values, programs may better support student fulfillment, resilience, and long-term retention in the field.