A comprehensive model how stress affects voice

Wellens W.A.R., and Van Opstal M.J.M.C

Over the years there has been a wide range of publications on how emotions are conveyed acoustically.
However seldom or not it gets explicit in terms of what the stated relationship between emotion and voicing consists of, and what are the consequences of it for diagnostics, therapy management and training.
In their workshops the authors will formulate an operational definition of stress, outline a coherent dynamic model of the stress behaviour chain, and systematically extend on the physiological and psychological processes involved in the stress - voice process. They will make some clinical considerations about how each of these stress chain links has a positive or negative impact on different aspects of the vocal performance.
Finally they will concentrate on different relevant stress modalities in professional voice users including stage fright.
A professional voice user applies to any person whose profession/ livelihood relies on the use of his voice. They all experience high vocal loading. Two types of occupational vocal loading can be distinguished:
- Professions with high artistic and aesthetic demands as in singers, actors, etc.
even a subtle vocal dysfunction may interfere with the high standards of a vocal performance.
- Professions with high short term and long term load as in military persons, coaches, lawyers, teachers, etc.
Most of the representatives in this category had usually no adequate training in voicing and articulation what makes them a high risk group to develop problems: any vocal performance has a physiological cost.
Professional voice users have many attributes, which make their work and lifestyle particularly vulnerable to stress. Being a professional voice user is a particular risk factor for exposure to high stress levels. Stress is a main cause of disturbed acting, voice and articulation disorders, or even psychological and physical problems. Actors and singers preparing for a series of performances, a lawyer anticipating a major trial, a politician preparing an important meeting, a businessman negotiating an important contract, all must deal with a series of personal and professional demands eliciting an increase in stress level. Such tasks-demands, as well as the already basic biological and mental stress of daily life may interfere with the complex mechanism of vocal performance and acting.
In order to analyze stress in relationship with vocal performance the authors conceptualize stress in terms of a dynamic circle of functional entities interacting with the structural and functional aspects of the organs of vocal communication, singing and acting. (Wellens, Van Opstal)
Their clinical model is mainly based upon:
1. The behavioral model for functional analysis of Kanfer and Philips (1970),
2. Selye’s concept on stress,
3. Lindsley’s activation theory, and
4. The principles of behavior modification
Stress is in this conceptual model considered as a circular process, which constitute a dynamic BEHAVIOUR CHAIN including:
- Stressors,
- Arousal, both biological and mental,
- Emotions,
- Coping behaviour, and
- Effects of the behaviour on the internal and external environment.
They will systematically extend on these functional entities within the stress process. For each of these links in the stress chain they will reflect on its involvement in the different aspects of vocal performance.
Eustress is the biological and mental excitement caused by normal life efficient for survival and or quality of life, whereas distress is inefficient or even aversive for quality of life.
Stress prepares the organism for coping with the perceived needs since it provides extra activation of the body en mental function functions.
Stress is presented as a process of a changing behaviour chain including stimuli, biological and mental arousal, emotions, adaptive coping reactions (= adaptive and maladaptive vocal behaviour) and its effects.
Stress is not always a detriment to performance: some degree of stress is intrinsic to vocal performance: a certain stress level called “eustress” is necessary in order to perform well.
However physiological and motor, as well as cognitive emotional aspects in the interaction of biological and mental excitement may affect in a direct and indirect way vocal performance resulting in maladaptive vocal behaviour and acting.
The workshop will systematically deal with all these links of the stress-chain and their direct and indirect effects on vocal performance.
The authors will also expand on "Stage fright".
In the presented stress-model stage fright can be defined as an combination of
- unconditioned anxiety about one or more elements within the performance chain, and
- conditioned anxiety evoked by pervasive signals.
A high tasks demand, may induce
- a high biological arousal,
- doubts about one’s ability to stand it, to regulate it, and
- anticipation of the negative consequences for the vocal performance task.