PURPOSE: To describe the findings of the assessment of auditory skills - frequency, intensity and duration patterns - in a group of teachers with voice disorders (DG), and to compare the findings in a group of teachers without vocal disorders (NDG). METHODS: There were 44 females, between 18 and 40 years of age, 23 were placed in the voice disorder group (DG) and 21 in the group without voice disorders (NDG). In order to define these groups, the teachers were submitted to both vocal behavior and laryngeal assessments, as well as to a complete audiological evaluation in order to assure that those subjects with hearing loss were excluded from the study. Following subject selection, an investigation of the Differential Intensity Threshold was carried out, along with the administration of the tests for Frequency and Duration Pattern Detection. RESULTS: The NDG had better performance than the DG in all administered tests, with a significant difference in the evaluation of the frequency parameter. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the performance of the two groups of teachers showed statistically significant only for the frequency parameter. Studies with larger numbers of subjects and with other tests that evaluate the differential threshold of intensity may perhaps clarify better the relationship between voice problems and difficulties in the realization of small differences in intensity.
Dysphonia; Faculty; Auditory perception; Voice; Hearing