Date of Award

1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College for Community Health

Department/Program

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Elaine Hitchcock

Committee Member

Michael Boyle

Committee Member

Lori McCann

Committee Member

Kathy Kessler-Price

Abstract

Vocal fatigue is a complex issue that may signal underlying vocal pathology or exist independently, especially among professional voice users such as singers, whose high vocal demands make them particularly susceptible. This dissertation investigates vocal fatigue in young adult female singers using both objective and subjective voice assessment measures during a novel vocal loading task. Key research questions addressed in this dissertation are as follows: (1) Which voice assessment measures demonstrate significant change over time in response to vocal loading? (2) which Participant Profile Characteristics most accurately predict changes in perceived vocal fatigue severity? (3) In what ways do symptom frequency and severity influence the likelihood that singers will seek medical intervention for vocal fatigue? Baseline voice function per participant was assessed using the Computerized Speech Lab and Phonatory Aerodynamic System (PENTAXMedical), with participants completing structured evaluations. The experimental protocol consisted of three cycles: reading (12 minutes), singing (2 minutes), and two-octave scale (1 minute), followed by immediate reassessment, a procedure repeated over a one-hour session. Results showed 31 out of 100 objective (acoustic/aerodynamic) measures and all four subjective (perceptual) measures significantly changed over time. Results showed that participant characteristics such as voice type: height and vocal training influenced the progression of vocal fatigue, while acoustic variables and profile characteristics did not show significant group differences. Ordinal mixed effects modeling revealed that as symptom severity increased, singers were more likely to seek medical care; conversely, increased symptom frequency was associated with decreased likelihood of intervention. These findings suggest that singers with more extensive training may be more attuned to subtle voice changes. The varied nature of vocal fatigue supports the development of a composite acoustic fatigue score. This study provides a comprehensive multidimensional analysis of vocal fatigue in singers and offers preliminary recommendations to enhance both the assessment and prevention of vocal fatigue or singers.

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