Hassan Khoramshahi1, Ali Dehqan2, Ronald Callaway Scherer3, Zahra Sharifi4, Shayan Ahmadi5. 1. Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. hany552ir@yahoo.com. 2. Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. 3. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA. 4. MSc Student of Speech Therapy, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. 5. Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study aims to study the comparison of vocal fatigue and vocal tract discomfort between teachers of normal pupils and teachers of mentally disabled pupils. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS: Participants were 179 teachers (50 male, 129 female) and 30 non-teachers (14 male, 16 female) who participated in the current study. The teachers work in elementary schools. Furthermore, 87 of the teachers work for mentally disabled pupils at special elementary schools. Non-teachers were Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences employees who consider as the control group. They completed the Persian VFI and VTDp questionnaires three times, at the beginning, middle, and end of their office hours for 1 workday. RESULTS: The current study's findings indicate that the Persian VFI and VTD scores of non-teachers were significantly lower than teachers' scores. Furthermore, teachers of mentally disabled pupils demonstrated higher values from teachers of normal pupils based on the Persian VFI and VTDp scores CONCLUSION: The study results showed that teachers experienced more vocal fatigue and vocal tract discomfort than non-teachers. Furthermore, teachers of mentally disabled pupils indicated more vocal fatigue, the larynx's physical discomfort, and vocal tract discomfort, but this difference was practically small.
PURPOSE: This study aims to study the comparison of vocal fatigue and vocal tract discomfort between teachers of normal pupils and teachers of mentally disabled pupils. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS:Participants were 179 teachers (50 male, 129 female) and 30 non-teachers (14 male, 16 female) who participated in the current study. The teachers work in elementary schools. Furthermore, 87 of the teachers work for mentally disabled pupils at special elementary schools. Non-teachers were Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences employees who consider as the control group. They completed the Persian VFI and VTDp questionnaires three times, at the beginning, middle, and end of their office hours for 1 workday. RESULTS: The current study's findings indicate that the Persian VFI and VTD scores of non-teachers were significantly lower than teachers' scores. Furthermore, teachers of mentally disabled pupils demonstrated higher values from teachers of normal pupils based on the Persian VFI and VTDp scores CONCLUSION: The study results showed that teachers experienced more vocal fatigue and vocal tract discomfort than non-teachers. Furthermore, teachers of mentally disabled pupils indicated more vocal fatigue, the larynx's physical discomfort, and vocal tract discomfort, but this difference was practically small.
Entities:
Keywords:
Teachers of mentally disabled pupils; Teachers of normal pupils; Vocal fatigue index (VFI); Vocal tract discomfort (VTD)