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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04096352

Virtual Reality in Teachers' Vocal Motor Behavior Acquisition (VirtuVox)

Scientific literature supports that teachers are at greater risk for voice disorders than the general population. In the classroom, the teacher's voice represents the main communication tool. Optimal voice use is indispensable to ensure effective teaching and preserve the teacher's vocal health.

This project investigates how virtual reality (VR) facilitates the learning of effective vocal skills and their application in real-world contexts. Based on acoustic analyses and self-assessment scales, the investigators compare 100 future teachers randomly assigned in two groups. The experimental group (n=50) receives a voice training by VR simulations and voice information. The control group (n=50) only receives voice information.

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Key information

Conditions

Voice Disorders Communication Disorders Laryngeal Diseases Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Respiratory Tract Diseases Signs and Symptoms Virtual Reality Therapy

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Université de Liège

Liège, Wallonia, 4000, Belgium

About this study

Experimental group participants receive direct method (three 1-hour sessions of voice training by virtual reality simulations over a course of 3 weeks) and indirect method (one 1-hour session of information on voice function and voice hygiene). Control group participants receive indirect method (one 1-hour session of information on voice function and voice hygiene).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • future teacher having completed at least one internship as a schoolteacher
  • speaking French fluently

Exclusion criteria

  • hearing impairment
  • voice pathology at the time of the study

Treatment and study plan

Direct Method

Behavioral

Learning effective vocal skills using speech therapy exercises and virtual reality simulations.

Indirect Method

Behavioral

Information on voice function and voice hygiene.

Primary outcomes

  1. Self-perceived voice changes between the baseline and the end of the intervention

    Time frame: 3 weeks

    Self-assessment of perceived vocal effort using the Adapted BORG Category Ratio (CR-10) physical exertion scale. On the scale, verbal expressions regarding vocal effort are anchored to the correct positions on a logarithmic ratio scale from zero (No vocal effort at all) to 10 (Maximum vocal effort), according to their quantitative meaning.

  2. Voice frequency changes between the baseline and the end of the intervention

    Time frame: 3 weeks

    Acoustic measurements of participants' voice frequency (in hertz) when speaking with and without background noise.

  3. Voice intensity changes between the baseline and the end of the intervention

    Time frame: 3 weeks

    Acoustic measurements of participants' voice intensity (in dB) when speaking with and without background noise.

  4. Voice spectrum changes between the baseline and the end of the intervention

    Time frame: 3 weeks

    Acoustic measurements of participants' voice spectrum (in Hertz) when speaking with and without background noise.

  5. Speech rate changes between the baseline and the end of the intervention

    Time frame: 3 weeks

    Measurements of participants' speech rate (in syllables per second) when speaking with and without background noise.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Liege

Other

Collaborators

  • Universite du Quebec en Outaouais

Registry information

Official study title

Virtual Reality in Teachers' Vocal Motor Behavior Acquisition (VirtuVox): Randomized Controlled Trial

Acronym: VirtuVox

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Sep 19, 2019
Registry last updated
Apr 7, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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