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Voice therapies have proven to be an effective method of helping patients avoid the symptoms of vocal fatigue. This study assesses the effect of a chant-based therapy on self-- perceptive symptoms of vocal fatigue. A recitational pattern was selected and a therapy regime created from important features of this chant. It was administered along with a placebo therapy to four public school teachers who were prone to vocal fatigue. A two-hour fatiguing task was administered pre- and post-- therapies, during which self-evaluative mea
sures of "vocal effort" and "voice quality" were made by the subjects. The plots of these measures were used for the purpose of determining the effects of the chant therapy. Based on changes in the subjects' responses to the fatiguing task after the delivery of the chant therapy, we concluded that this form of functional therapy has the potential to be effective in the remediation of vocal fatigue.
Key Words: vocal fatigue, chant therapy, vocal effort
Vocal fatigue is a debilitating condition affecting speakers who place demands on their voice that exceed their vocal capabilities. It is characterized by a progressive increase in phonatory effort and loss of phonatory abilities. Professional voice users such as teachers, performing artists, and telephone salespeople are particularly prone to this condition. Although the effects of vocal fatigue on singers and actors are well known (Eustace, Stemple, & Lee, 1996; Kitch & Oates, 1994; Scherer, Titze, Raphael, Wood, Ramig, & Blager, 1985), its impact on public school teachers has only recently been brought to the public's attention (Kostyk & Putnam-- Rochet, 1998; Smith, Gray, Dove, Kirchner, & Heras, 1998; Smith, Verdolini, Gray, Nichols, Lemke, & Barkmeier, 1996; Gotaas & Starr, 1993).
Reports from teachers indicate that many experience vocal fatigue soon after beginning their careers. Those who teach physical education, drama, and music are especially prone to the effects of vocal fatigue, but any teacher who uses her voice to control classroom behavior is at risk. In many cases, the condition progresses from year to year. Eventually the severity of the symptoms reaches a point where it is difficult, painful, and even impossible to continue teaching through the end of a school day, week, or year. Data from different studies indicate the prevalence of voice...