Die verband tussen persoonlikheid en stemhiperfunksie by 'n bepaalde groep sprekers: research

Abstract

People who use their voices in their daily profession sometimes tend to suffer vocal abuse and fatigue. Vocal abuse, also known as vocal hyperfunction, can lead to the surgical removal of vocal nodules. In order to ensure more effective service delivery in these cases, researchers and clinicians have to view the causal factors from a broad perspective. Due to the close relationship between personality and voice it is important to investigate personality factors that may have an influence on the development of vocal hyperfunction. The aim of this study was to determine whether similar personality characteristics occur in a group of speakers with vocal fold nodules and to investigate the group's results on the 16PF personality questionnaire. A group of twelve female students who were all potential professional voice users was studied. The group showed elevated levels of extroversion, which implies that they have a tendency to be socially aggressive, talkative and also display an inability to moderate their exuberance during conversation. These qualities can lead to the development of vocal hyperfunction and it appears that the group's extroverted personalities translate to speech behaviour associated with vocal hyperfunction. The implications for the traditional team of clinicians involved in the treatment of voice hyperfunction are discussed.



Persone wat hulle stemme in die uitoefen van hulle beroep gebruik, is soms geneig tot stemmisbruik en stemuitputting. Stemmisbruik, ook genoem stemhiperfunksie, kan aanleiding gee tot stembandnodules wat sjirurgies verwyder moet word. Ten einde meer effektiewe diens te lewer in hierdie gevalle, word navorsers en klinici genoodsaak om die oorsaaklike faktore vanuit 'n wye perspektief te benader. Vanweë die noue verband tussen persoonlikheid en stem is dit belangrik om ondersoek in te stel na persoonlikheidsfaktore wat 'n invloed mag hê op die ontstaan van stemhiperfunksie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of daar ooreenstemmende persoonlikheidseienskappe voorkom by 'n groep sprekers met nodules en om te bepaal hoe die groep manifesteer op elke faktorskaal van die 16PF persoonlikheidsvraelys. 'n Groep van twaalf damestudente wat potensiële professionele stemgebruikers is, is ondersoek. Die groep het verhoogde vlakke van ekstroversie getoon wat onder andere meebring dat hulle sosiaal aggressief en spraaksaam is en dit moeilik vind om hulle uitgelatenheid te kontroleer tydens 'n gesprek. Hierdie persoonlikheidseienskappe kan lei tot stemhiperfunksie en dit blyk dat hierdie persone se ekstroversiewe geaardhede omgeskakel of oorgedra word na spraakgedrag wat lei tot stemhiperfunksie. Die implikasies vir die tradisionele span klinici wat betrokke is by die hantering van stemhiperfunksie word bespreek.


(Health SA Gesondheid : interdisciplinary research journal: 2002 7(4): 57-69)