Finger Kazoo Intensive Short-term Vocal Therapy: Vocal and Aerodynamic Measurements in Female Teachers

Abstract

Objectiveto verify the effect after short-term intensive therapy with the Finger Kazoo technique on vocal and aerodynamic measures of dysphonic female teachers. Methodblind randomized clinical trial. Fifteen female teachers without structural disorders of vocal folds and nine with vocal nodules participated in the study groups. Yet, nine female teachers without structural disorders and eight with vocal nodules in the control groups. The following variables were measured pre and post-therapy: minimum and maximum fundamental frequency: forced vital capacity; simple phonic coefficient; compound phonic coefficient; ratio between maximum phonation time of /a/ and expected maximum phonation time. Resultsno statistical significance was observed in the intra and intergroup analyses in any of the measures. Conclusionin this group of female teachers, it was not possible to show a positive effect of short-term and intensive therapy with the Finger Kazoo technique on the vocal measures of minimum and maximum fundamental frequency, forced vital capacity, simple phonic coefficient, compound phonic coefficient, and the relationship between maximum phonation time of /a/ and expected maximum phonation time.