The Perception of Benefit of Vocalization on Performance When Producing Maximum Effort

Abstract

Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of the belief that using voice during force production is beneficial to sport performance. This study was also used to determine if vocalization during effortful tasks was correlated to perception of voice impairment. The hypotheses were as follows: (A) there is a belief among athletes that voicing (using the voice) during high effort tasks improves performance and, (B) the use of the voice during high effort tasks is correlated with the perception of voice impairment. Study Design: Information was gathered through an anonymous, on-line survey in which participants ages 19-70 answered questions regarding voicing and force production as well as the Voice Handicap Index-10 and a perceived phonatory effort measure. Methods: The data obtained from the survey were evaluated using descriptive statistics and analyses of variance (ANOVA) to determine if there was a correlation between voice production and the perception of voice disorder. Results: Three hundred and seventy eight participants’ survey responses were used in the data analyses. The results of the on-line survey indicated that 49% of the participating athletes believed that the production of voice during maximum effort provided an advantage to performance. There was no correlation between individuals who used voice during force production and the perception of voice impairment. Therefore, the hypotheses were not met. Conclusions: Findings indicated that while there was evidence of belief among athletes that producing voice during maximum effort improves performance, it was not a majority of the athletes queried. The evidence from this study did not support the belief that voice use during high effort tasks is detrimental to voice function. Further research should be completed to objectively measure force production in both grunt and non-grunt trials concurrently with measures of vocal function.