Stimmrehabilitation und Psychotherapie - Anwendung bei Lehrern

Voice disorders in teachers are not only a serious medical but also social and economic problem in Poland. It has been shown that teachers are at risk of developing occupational dysphonia which account for over 25% of all occupational diseases diagnosed in Poland. Voice problems affects psychological wellbeing of teachers, while psychological factors may induce escalation of voice pathologies in this professional group. The study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of phoniatric treatment including voice therapy and psychotherapy in female teachers with chronic dysphonia. The study group included 45 subjects with voice disorders, including hyperfunctional dysphonia, glottal incompetence and vocal nodules. Twenty one teachers of that group additionally underwent short forms of psychotherapy. Questionnaire surveys, phoniatric examination and videostroboscopic evaluation were performed before and after voice therapy. A significant improvement in the majority of voice problems, and objectively assessed symptoms and voice parameters was achieved in the study group, particularly in teachers treated by voice therapy associated with psychotherapy, as compared to the controls. After the treatment, the number of the patients with voice disorders, particularly with hyperfunctional dysphonia, decreased.In conclusion, the complex phoniatric treatment including vocal training and short forms of psychotherapy seemed to be an effective method of therapy for patients with occupational dysphonia