Prevalence of Vocal Symptoms and Voice Disorders among Teacher Students and Teachers and a Model of Early Intervention

Prevalence of Vocal Symptoms and Voice Disorders among Teacher Students and Teachers and a Model of Early Intervention Susanna Simberg University of Helsinki, Finland The overall aims of the research done for this thesis were to investigate the prevalence of vocal symptoms and voice disorders among students who were studying to become teachers (teacher students) and to develop a model of early intervention, including a voice screening test and group voice therapy for students who have mild voice disorders. Other aims were to investigate whether a cross section of university students studying in a variety of faculties report as high a frequency of vocal symptoms as prospective teachers in comprehensive schools and upper secondary schools do and to explore whether the proportion of teachers reporting vocal symptoms has changed within a twelve-year period. Data gathered from a total of 730 students and 719 teachers are presented in this thesis. All students and teachers filled out a questionnaire concerning vocal symptoms. The voices of 510 teacher students for comprehensive schools, upper secondary schools and day care centers were perceptually assessed, and 120 of these students underwent a clinical examination by a phoniatrician. Twenty students with voice disorders received voice therapy in small groups and the results of that therapy were compared to those of a control group of 20 students with similar voice disorders who did not receive voice therapy. The results of these investigations showed that about one fifth of the teacher students reported frequently occurring vocal symptoms and that most of these students had an organic voice disorder (Study I and II). Teacher students reported more vocal symptoms occurring weekly or more frequently than students studying other subjects at the same university (Study III). The proportion of teachers reporting vocal symptoms in comprehensive schools and upper secondary schools seems to have increased over a twelve-year period (Study IV). Furthermore, the proportion of teachers reporting two or more frequently occurring vocal symptoms also increased, suggesting that voice problems among teachers are increasing. Voice therapy given in small groups of students with voice disorders identified by means of a voice screening test seems to be a cost-effective method of treating mild voice disorders detected at an early stage (Study V). Vocal symptoms, voice disorders, voice screening test, teacher students, teachers, voice