Czy (a)symetria w obrębie kompleksu orofacjalnego może być związana z preferencją ręki

Abstract

Introduction: The orofacial region is a common space for various functions such as speech or taking food. It was found that the tongue is lateral braced while speaking. The tongue bracing is a biological feature, independent on the speaker’s language. Chewing is an advanced activity that involves various muscles working coordinately. It is claimed that it is carried out on both or one side: right or left and it may be influenced by various factors. The main hypothesis (H1) in this study is dependence of two variables: dependent (DV), which is preference of side chewing(PCS) and independent (IV), which is handedness described by Laterality Quotient (LQ). Methods: The sample consists of 230 participants aged 21-43. Descriptive statistics were used to capture the distribution of variables. The Spearman’s rang correlation coefficient indicated a weak correlation between chewing and handedness (- .24), therefore in the next step the Chi-Square test of independence was applied to check the association between variables. Finally, the ordinal regression model was estimated to assess the aforementioned relationship. Results: It has been noted that in more than 1/2 of participants the side of chewing corresponds to dominant hand. However it has been noticed that about 1/3 of participants use both sides equally while chewing. It must be though other factors – regardless indicated in the research exclusion criteria – that affect the preference of chewing side (PCS). Conclusions: Analysis, both the Chi-Square test and the ordinal regression model confirmed that activity of the orofacial region while chewing is significantly related to handedness (H1).