The Effect of Telepractice Voice Training on the Voice Quality oF Theater Actors with Voice Complaints.

Abstract

Background: Evidence regarding the application of telepractice voice training in theater actors is inconclusive. Our study aimed to investigate changes in acoustic parameters, auditory-perceptual characteristics, and self-reported voice symptoms of theater actors with voice complaints undergoing telepractice voice training.

Methods: Nine theater actors with voice complaints participated in this single-group intervention. In this pre-post study, we observed changes in the participants' voice quality. The participants received twelve online voice training sessions over six weeks. An auditory-perceptual evaluation was performed using the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) profile to analyze the voice, while acoustic parameters were extracted from the recordings using Praat software. In addition, the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) was administered as a self-report questionnaire. Outcome variables were measured pre-, post, and four weeks after the end of the training. The variables were then subjected to variance analysis with repeated measurements.

Results: Voice training resulted in significant changes in acoustic parameters, such as jitter and HNR. Additionally, over time, significant improvements were observed in auditory-perceptual characteristics, including overall severity, roughness, breathiness, and strain.

Conclusion: Telepractice voice training has the potential to enhance the voice quality of actors who experience voice complaints. However, more specific measures are necessary to fully understand the effectiveness of telepractice voice interventions compared with traditional face-to-face sessions.