Trainee Experience in Relation to Voice Handicap, General Coping and Psychosomatic Well-Being in Female Student Teachers: A Descriptive Study

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between trainee experience and voice handicap, general coping and psychosomatic well-being in student teachers. Methods: A longitudinal survey was performed among 43 starting female student teachers, becoming a professional teacher in primary education. The subjective biopsychosocial consequences of voice problems was assessed by the Voice Handicap Index inventory, the general coping style by the Utrecht Coping List and psychosomatic well-being by the Symptom Checklist. Results: Student teachers in general and especially with a higher impact of the voice after two trainee periods showed a more reactive-defensive coping style. Student teachers with a higher impact of the voice after two trainee periods had less psychosomatic well-being. Conclusion: These findings may call for a different attitude of the (university) speech therapist. They should take into account that together with changing the voice handicap, factors of psychosomatic well-being can play an important role in coaching student teachers. Speech therapists should also be encouraged to change the student’s passive coping behaviour into a more active method and to stimulate the student to implement a new coping attitude into new trainee activities.