Individual and Occupational Factors Associated with Work-Related Vocal Fatigue in Teachers

Vocal fatigue is an individual-perceived, measurable symptom that influences vocal task performance.

Characterize the work-relatedness of vocal fatigue in teachers by determining individual and occupational associated factors of the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI).

All subjects (122 elementary and middle school teachers) provided informed consent before participation in the study protocol. Participating teachers completed questionnaires that documented voice-related working conditions, the VFI, and the Big Five Inventory-10. Additionally, subjects performed a spirometry to assess pulmonary function. SPSS 24 software was used for all the statistical analyses.

Teachers showed significant vocal fatigue across all three VFI dimensions. Personality traits emerged as consistent protective factors against vocal fatigue. Higher extraversion (B = -2.42, P < 0.01) and agreeableness (B = -1.88, P = 0.02) significantly predicted lower voice tiredness and avoidance behaviors (Factor 1). These same personality traits also predicted reduced physical discomfort during voicing (Factor 2), with extraversion (B = -1.17, P < 0.01), agreeableness (B = -1.03, P = 0.05), and teaching at the secondary level (B = -4.79, P < 0.01) remaining significant in multivariate analysis. For symptom improvement with rest (Factor 3), age (B = 0.07, P < 0.05) was the only significant predictor in the multivariate model.

While vocal fatigue is often regarded as a work-related symptom among occupational voice users, our findings highlight the considerable influence of individual-level factors, particularly personality traits. Specifically, higher levels of extraversion and agreeableness were associated with reduced vocal fatigue symptoms. These findings suggest that personality assessment and targeted interventions to develop adaptive traits should be integrated into teacher vocal health programs alongside traditional workplace modifications.