Vocal Pedagogues Training Dysphonic Voices: Treatment Seeking Approaches and Practices

Rachelle Fleming; Edrie Means Weekly; Linda M Carroll

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.03.007

Vocal Pedagogues Training Dysphonic Voices: Treatment Seeking Approaches and Practices

J Voice. 2024 May 4:S0892-1997(24)00081-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.03.007. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Rachelle Fleming¹, Edrie Means Weekly², Linda M Carroll³

Affiliations

¹ Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: RFleming@Temple.edu.
² Shenandoah University and Conservatory of Music, Winchester, Virginia.
³ Private Practice, Speech-language Pathology, and Voice Training, Rye, New Hampshire.

PMID: 38705737
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.03.007

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the practices of current professional voice teachers' management of voice disorders.

Type of study: Survey.

Methods: An online survey was developed and made available to vocal educators who had membership in organizations within the field of voice. Respondents rated their comfort with management of voice disorders, criteria for accepting a dysphonic student, and their approach within the multidisciplinary environment.

Results: Of 786 responses from professional vocal educators, 48% had worked with a vocalist recovering from dysphonia, vocal surgery, or a vocal pathology. Two-thirds reported management of nodules, polyps, or cysts. The majority of respondents working with injured voices had advanced degrees in vocal performance, but few had cross-training as an speech-language pathologist. Pedagogues focused on breathing strategies while speech-language pathologist pedagogues focused on resonance and reduction of phonotrauma. Pedagogues sought information on voice science and medicine from scholarly journals, attending conferences, and medical professionals.

Conclusions: Vocal pedagogues were interested members of the interdisciplinary team with a desire to seek knowledge beyond their initial career training, even though additional continuing education or licensure is not mandated for vocal educators. Findings show a need for vocal degree programs to include anatomy and physiology and multidisciplinary management of voice disorders.

Keywords: Dysphonia; Singers; Vocal retraining; Voice care; Voice teachers.