Voice Changes in Real Speaking Situations During a Day, With and Without Vocal Loading: Assessing Call Center Operators

The main findings revealed an interaction, with F0 rise at the end of the day for the students but not for the CCOs. We suggest that F0 rise is a typical phenomenon of a day of normal vocal use, whereas vocal loading interferes with this mechanism. In addition, different lifestyle profiles of CCOs and controls were observed, as the CCOs reported higher incidence of dehydrating behaviors (eg, smoking, caffeine). Yet, this profile was not linked with voice changes. In sum, we suggest that F0 rise over a day can potentially serve as an index for typical voice use. Its lack thereof can hint on consequent voice symptoms and complaints.