The impact of the voice in relation to psychosomatic well-being after education in female student teachers: a longitudinal, descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE: Voice handicap in relation to psychosomatic well-being after education in female student teachers.

METHODS: A longitudinal survey among 90 female students using Voice Handicap Index and Symptom Check List-90 at the start and end of education.

RESULTS: Student teachers in fourth grade showed lower VHI Total and lower SCL-90 Total scores compared to first grade. Students with higher VHI scores in fourth grade had higher risk on "Anxiety" (OR=1.8 to 4.8), "Agoraphobia" (OR=1.9 to 3.9) and "Insufficiency in thinking and acting" (OR=1.6 to 3.2). Students with respectively higher VHI-Total and VHI-Emotional subscale scores had higher risk on "Depression" (OR=1.7, resp. 3.9), "Interpersonal sensitivity and mistrust" (OR=1.6, resp. 3.2), "Hostility" (OR=1.7, resp. 2.1) and SCL-Total (OR=3.1 resp. 4.0).

CONCLUSIONS: Student teachers at the end of education showed more well-being and were less vocally handicapped. A tendency for a positive relation between higher emotional voice handicap and more psychosomatic complaints was found.

SUGGESTIONS: The VHI has proven to be useful and special attention to VHI Emotional scale is advised in screening. This study might have implications for the preventive care and a multi-dimensional approach with attention to physical, mental and social voice care in future teachers is suggested. In contrast to the group score comparisons a closer look at individual reports on specific VHI items in relation to SCL-90 may be fruitful to detect tendencies. Student teachers can benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration between a psychologist and voice therapist in reducing psychosocial risk factors.