“Is Something Wrong With My Daughter’s Voice?” Parental Perceptions of the Female Adolescent Voice Change

Adolescent voice change is a developmentally uncertain time for singers when the vocal anatomy undergoes significant growth. Female singers experience a distinctive set of symptoms. Vocal tone that was previously clear and pure becomes breathy and, at times, thick, husky, and hoarse (Ingram & Rice, 1962; Sipley, 1993; Vennard, 1967). Voice ranges that initially widen during puberty temporarily narrow at the height of Female Adolescent Voice Change (FAVC) (Cyrier, 1981; Gackle, 1987, 2000a, 2000b, 2011; Huff-Gackle, 1985; Phillips, 1985; Sweet, 2015). As singing predictability and discomfort vary from day to day, so does the singing experience, leaving adolescent female vocalists to question their abilities (Gackle, 2011; Sweet, 2015). Pubertal adolescents report vocal fatigue, breathiness, and dryness despite taking measures to care for their voices (Bowers & Daugherty, 2008; Daugherty et al., 2011). During this period of change, parental support is vital to singer confidence, perseverance, and positive vocal self-identity. The purpose of this study was to examine parental perceptions of the FAVC before and after watching a three-minute educational video on the topic. Participants were parents (N = 54) of middle and high school female singers in two Midwest treble community choruses who responded to an online questionnaire. Queries explored parental perceptions of the female adolescent singing voice and their understanding of the voice change phenomena. Findings indicated that while they were attentive to their daughters’ singing, parents did not possess knowledge of typical FAVC characteristics or accompanying singing difficulties. After a brief educational video, participants described gaining an explanation of their daughter’s current voice concerns and a new understanding of developmentally appropriate FAVC singing skills. Parents reported a sense of preparedness and empathy for their daughter’s voice change experience.