First Advisor

Lisa Letcher-Glembo

Term of Graduation

Fall 1998

Date of Publication

1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech Communication

Department

Speech Communication

Language

English

Subjects

Voice culture -- Exercises, Voice -- Care and hygiene, Voice disorders -- Exercise therapy, Singing

DOI

10.15760/etd.8177

Physical Description

1 online resource (v, 78 pages)

Abstract

This single subject descriptive study investigated the efficacy of singing intervention on the effects of vocal fatigue on the speaking voice of a non-singing individual. Baseline measures were taken on a single subject prior to voice treatment. Data were collected before and after the subject performed a vocally fatiguing task of 1 hour of prolonged reading at 80% of his maximum vocal intensity level. Data collection consisted of the following acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of the subject's speaking voice: fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, maximum intensity level, and maximum phonation duration, as well as obtainment of the subject's self-perceptions of vocal quality, tension, and pain in his own speaking voice. The subject underwent 4 weeks of singing intervention. The goal of singing intervention was to reduce the fatiguing effects of prolonged, loud, speaking. After 4 weeks of singing intervention, the collection of acoustic, physiologic, and perceptual data was repeated before and after the subject performed 1 hour of reading at 80% of his maximum vocal intensity level. Pre-treatment data were compared to posttreatment data using descriptive techniques.

Based on the comparison of pre-treatment data to post-treatment data, the results indicated that singing intervention allowed for a reduction in the fatiguing effects of prolonged aloud reading as measured by fundamental frequency, jitter, maximum intensity level, and maximum phonation duration. Specifically, prior to singing intervention, fundamental frequency (Fo) exceeded normal limits when the patient was vocally fatigued. Following singing intervention, Fo remained within normal limits during both the pre and post-fatigue conditions. The subject's jitter values were not within normal limits prior to intervention; jitter values improved, but continued to fall outside the normative data for an individual of the subject's age and gender.

The subject's shimmer values remained constant throughout the study. In the pretreatment condition, the subject's maximum intensity and maximum phonation duration levels were negatively affected by fatigue. Fatigue effects were no longer observed on these levels following intervention. Singing intervention had no effect on the subject's perceptions of vocal quality, laryngeal muscular tension, and sensations of pain.

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Comments

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Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/39732

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