A study of the musical ability of children with vocal nodules
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Jeannine Austin Mashburn (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Mariana Newton
Abstract: The etiology of vocal nodules is of importance to many professionals. Although the literature on etiology is inconclusive, most investigators believe that vocal abuse is a significant factor. Problems of pitch, loudness, and quality, terms related to musical ability, are used in the definition of vocal abuse. The possibility that children with vocal nodules were poorer than normal children in musical ability was proposed. The Seashore Measures of Musical Talents (SMMT) was administered to an experimental group of children with vocal nodules and their matched controls. All subjects ranged in age from 9 through 14 years and were in grades four through eight. In addition, an individual record was compiled on each child. This record contained information regarding the child's health history, onset and development of hoarseness, variables affecting hoarseness, and vocal use. The results of the study revealed no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups on the SMMT, although the female nodule group had a somewhat higher mean than the male nodule group. On the tonal memory subtest, the experimental group scored better than their controls at all age levels, while the experimental group scored consistently, though not significantly lower on the loudness subtest. The individual record results supported the literature in suggesting that vocal abuse is related etiologically to vocal nodules, even though factors related to vocal usage were not delineated by a test of musical abilities.
A study of the musical ability of children with vocal nodules
PDF (Portable Document Format)
5404 KB
Created on 1/1/1972
Views: 228
Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 1972
- Subjects
- Musical ability in children
- Vocal cords
- Larynx