title: Singers' Vocal Function Knowledge Levels, Sensorimotor Self-awareness of Vocal Tract, and Impact of Functional Voice Rehabilitation on the Vocal Function Knowledge and Self-awareness of Vocal Tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated vocal function knowledge and vocal tract sensorimotor self-awareness and the impact of functional voice rehabilitation on vocal function knowledge and self-awareness.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty singers (study group [SG]) completed a questionnaire before and after functional voice rehabilitation. Twenty additional singers, representing the control group, also completed the questionnaire without functional voice rehabilitation at a 3-month interval. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. The first part evaluated the singers' attitude to the anatomical and physiological knowledge of the vocal tract and their self-esteem of the knowledge level. The second part assessed the theoretical knowledge of the singers' vocal tract physiology. The third part of the questionnaire assessed singers' sensorimotor self-awareness of the vocal tract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that most singers indicated that knowledge of the vocal tract's anatomy and physiology is useful (59% SG, 67% control group). However, 75% of all participants defined their knowledge of the vocal tract's anatomy and physiology as weak or inadequate. In the SG, vocal function knowledge at the first assessment was 45%. After rehabilitation, the level increased to 67.7%. Vocal tract sensorimotor self-awareness initially was 38.9% in SG but rose to 66.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of the study suggest that classical singers lack knowledge about the physiology of the vocal mechanism, especially the breathing patterns. In addition, they have low sensorimotor self-awareness of their vocal tract. The results suggest that singers would benefit from receiving services from phoniatrists and speech-language pathologists during their voice training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sielska-Badurek
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osuch-Wójcikiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Human Physiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobol
authors.affiliation: Chair of Audiology and Phoniatrics, The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kazanecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: maria.sobol@wum.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Niemczyk
mesh_terms: D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011044:Poland; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D012649:Self Concept; D063346:Singing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014827:Vocal Cords; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training
keywords: education; knowledge; singers' functional voice rehabilitation; singing voice; vocal tract self-awareness