Public Health
Volume 122, Issue 7 , Pages 691-699, July 2008

Modelling determinants of the vocal health of teachers in Northern Ireland: Implications for educational policy and practice

  • G.J. McAleavy

      Affiliations

    • School of Education, University of Ulster, Shore Road, Newtownabbey BT37 OQB, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +442890366911; fax: +442890366825.
    • ,
  • G. Adamson

      Affiliations

    • School of Psychology, University of Ulster, Londonderry BT48 7JL, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • D.E. Hazlett

      Affiliations

    • School of Communication, University of Ulster, Shore Road, Newtownabbey BT37 OQB, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • H.A. Donegan

      Affiliations

    • School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Ulster, Shore Road, Newtownabbey BT37 OQB, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • G.E. Livesey

      Affiliations

    • School of Education, University of Ulster, Shore Road, Newtownabbey BT37 OQB, Northern Ireland, UK

Received 24 July 2006; received in revised form 8 June 2007; accepted 17 August 2007.

Summary 

Objectives

To quantify the relative contributions of behavioural, environmental and psychological factors to the vocal health of teachers, and to describe the relationships using structural equation modelling, with a view to identifying preventive action.

Method

A cross-sectional survey of teachers across 69 primary and secondary schools was conducted. In total, 217 responses were analysed. Teachers self-reported on: the quality of their voice; the frequency with which they perform a series of voice-related behaviours; the quality of the environment in which they work; the feelings they have about their vocal health; and an anxiety rating measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. A structural equation modelling approach was used to estimate the associated effects.

Results

The hypothesized model described the data well. It emerged that voice-related behaviours, the teachers’ work environment and the presence of trait anxiety had a significant influence on vocal health. Moreover, the model demonstrated that the quality of the voice is related strongly to how respondents feel about the condition of their voice, which, in turn, had an indirect reciprocal effect on the quality of teachers’ vocal health.

Conclusion

The model demonstrates the important contributions of psychological and behavioural variables to vocal health. Of the six independent variables that impact directly on ‘vocal dysfunction’, three were found to be statistically significant. These were the voice-related ‘behaviours’ that teachers perform, the environment in which teachers work, and ‘trait anxiety present’ as measured by the STAI. The implications of the results are considered in relation to rethinking policy and practice with the intention of identifying preventative actions to improve the vocal health of professional educators.

Keywords: Voice strain, Education policy, Speech therapy, Structural equation modelling, Occupational health

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

PII: S0033-3506(07)00285-5

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2007.08.013

Public Health
Volume 122, Issue 7 , Pages 691-699, July 2008

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution