Vocal and emotional features of teachers and non- teachers with low and high anxiety Características vocais e emocionais de professores e não professores com baixa e alta ansiedade

Purpose: Compare vocal symptoms and emotional features in groups of teachers and non-teachers with low and high anxiety. Methods: A total of 93 male and female participants aged between 18 and 59 years participated in the study and were divided into four groups: teachers with low anxiety, teachers with high anxiety, non-teachers with low anxiety, and non-teachers with high anxiety. Vocal parameters were measured by the instruments Vocal Signs and Symptoms Questionnaire, VoiceRelated Quality of Life, Voice Handicap Index; and recorded speech and sustained vowels from the Visual Analog Scale were assessed by three speech-language pathologists. To assess emotional parameters, the Self-Report Questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used. Results: Groups with high anxiety reported high levels of stress and depression symptoms, and teachers had symptoms that were more emotional. Teachers with high anxiety expressed a greater number of vocal symptoms, greater impairment of voice quality of life, greater overall change in voice quality, and higher voice handicap index when compared with the other groups. Conclusion: Individuals with high anxiety displayed more emotional symptoms related to voice and vocal quality of life, especially if the voice was a work instrument, such as for teachers.