Abstract
To compare the vocal self-perception and vocal complaints reported by two groups of students of the pedagogy course (freshmen and graduates); to relate the vocal self-perception to the vocal complaints for these groups; and to compare the voice quality of the students from these groups through perceptual auditory assessment and acoustic analysis. Initially, 89 students from the pedagogy course answered a questionnaire about self-perceived voice quality and vocal complaints. In a second phase, auditory-perceptual evaluation and acoustic analyses of 48 participants were made through voice recordings of sustained vowel emission and poem reading. The most reported vocal complaints were fatigue while using the voice, sore throat, effort to speak, irritation or burning in the throat, hoarseness, tightness in the neck, and variations of voice throughout the day. There was a higher occurrence of complaints from graduates than from freshmen, with significant differences for four of the nine complaints. It was also possible to observe the relationship between vocal self-perception and complaints reported by these students. No significant differences were observed in the results of auditory-perceptual evaluation; however, some graduates had their voices evaluated with higher severity of deviation of normalcy. During acoustic analysis no difference was observed between groups. The increase in vocal demand by the graduates may have caused the greatest number and diversity of vocal complaints, and several of them are related to the self-assessment of voice quality. The auditory-perceptual evaluation and acoustic analysis showed no deviations in their voice.
Highlights
The voice is the main and most important instrument of work for a teacher, and it is vital that these professionals have a healthy and pleasant voice
The objectives of this research were to compare vocal selfperception and, the vocal complaints reported by two groups of undergraduates, both freshmen and seniors; to relate the information obtained on vocal self-perception with those obtained on vocal complaints for both groups; and to compare the vocal quality of these two groups though the auditory-perceptive evaluation and the acoustic analysis
All recommendations in Resolution 196/96 of the National Health Council were followed. This cross-sectional observational research comprised undergraduate students enrolled in a pedagogy course, who were distributed into two groups: Group 1 (G1), exclusively consisting of first-year undergraduate students who were not taking part in activities involving the professional use of the voice; and Group 2 (G2), consisting of fourth-year undergraduate students who attended to mandatory internships that demanded constant use of the voice
Summary
The voice is the main and most important instrument of work for a teacher, and it is vital that these professionals have a healthy and pleasant voice. It is not sufficient to just master the theoretical contents, because a monotone voice of weak intensity may result in indifference and drowsiness of the listeners. A hoarse, rough, and very strong voice may have an unpleasant impact on the listener, resulting in indifference, but dispersion, which may affect the interaction between student and teacher and, the learning of the undergraduate[1,2]. The studies involving teachers have the objective of understanding the impact of those factors on the voice of this population to aware them, so that they can use their vocal tract as good as possible and take care of their vocal health[1,2,3]
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