We investigate in a chiral SU(4) × SU(4) model the symmetry-breaking parameters, decay constants, D+-D0 mass difference, quark masses, and electromagnetic mass splitting of the charmed baryons by assuming (i) that matrix elements of the type 0|vP|P are SU(4) invariant and alternatively (ii) that these are dominated by the quark mass term. The two approaches are compared in this work and conclusions presented. We also mention possible extensions to the chiral SU(5) × SU(5) scheme and discuss some of the associated problems. © 1979 The American Physical Society.