Impact of a preventive voice program for future teachers on improving acoustic and perceptual voice parameters

This study evaluated a voice and vocal health education program implemented in all teacher training students at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, future teachers and "candidates" at risk of any type of dysphonia. In recent years, in the context of this educational and health initiative, we have carried out several research projects that have mainly evaluated the effectiveness of this program. The results also served to implement improvements to the program. The experience described in this article focuses on analysis of some important features of the educational process -specific acoustic and perceptual voice parameters - based on the results obtained at the end of the program. We chose a large sample of students to carry out this study and analyzed some acoustic parameters such as fundamental frequency and intensity, as well as the subjective perception of a possible vocal dysfunction. Therefore, data were collected on the process in order to obtain resources for the development of efficient and healthy voice emission. The results showed, firstly, that these kinds of programs can raise awareness, as well as provide resources to support healthy and efficient voice emission in students without voice problems and, secondly, that this program is an aid for those students who already perceive voice problems and show aggravated fundamental frequencies. Thus, these students can acquire standard acoustic parameters after the intervention. © 2011 AELFA.