Effect of an online Workplace Vocal Health and Low Stress Levels Promotion Program implemented in a Colombian university during COVID-19 pandemic.
Ángela Patricia Atará-Piraquive, Leidy Lorena Forero-Suárez, Jenny Fernanda Cárdenas-Martinez and 1 others
PMID 37672412WHAT IT FOUND
The online program did not significantly reduce stress levels.
However, it was associated with improved maximum phonation time and a trend toward reduced vocal fatigue perception. These findings suggest potential benefits for voice endurance and self-awareness, but the small sample size limits certainty.
Key findings
01The program had no statistically significant effect on participants' stress levels.
02Maximum phonation time (MPT) was statistically significantly longer after the program.
03There was a non-significant trend toward lower scores in VFI Factor 1 (tiredness of voice and voice avoidance) in the intervention group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (n=29) which reduced statistical power to detect differences. Quasi-experimental design with non-random assignment (based on entry time), which introduces potential selection bias. Data collection occurred at the end of the academic semester, a period of naturally high stress, which may have masked any stress-reducing effects of the program. No monitoring of adherence to the daily practice exercises, so it is unclear if the lack of stronger effects was due to the program content or low participation in the homework. Participants were excluded if they had chronic voice disorders, limiting generalizability to teachers with existing voice pathology.
Declared interests
The study was funded by The Research and Extension Division of Universidad Nacional de Colombia. No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this program effectively reduces stress in teachers. The study found no statistically significant change in stress levels, and the observed improvements in voice measures were mixed and limited by a small sample size and potential confounding by end-of-semester workload.