Preferred Name
Nicole Dorothy Jenkins
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1979-132X
Date of Graduation
5-10-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
Department
School of Music
Advisor(s)
Jo-Anne van der Vat-Chromy
Abstract
An increasing body of research evidence indicates that college students of all majors with asthma and/or allergies represent a vulnerable population due to their inability to experience a consistent and dependable quality of life compared with their healthy collegiate peers. Further, in terms of their impact specifically on collegiate singers, the intricate network of co-morbid conditions associated with asthma and allergies, including pain, wheezing, and discomfort combined with physical symptoms of stress, disturbed sleep, fatigue, diminished concentration, depression, and high-risk behaviors, cannot be underestimated. As such, this study aims to identify and analyze the health impediments caused by asthma and/or allergies for developing singers during their collegiate vocal studies and to ameliorate their negative impact on vocal performance success.
This study was guided by four overarching research questions: two on the impact of asthma and allergies on singing and two on the impact of COVID-19 on existing asthma and/or allergy conditions. A seventy-question survey was shared with voice faculty at 285 U.S. conservatories and universities for dissemination to their voice majors in either undergraduate, graduate, or certificate programs. Quantitative data were collected and reported by percentages, while qualitative data were collected and analyzed through axial coding for keywords and phrases. In terms of results, throughout both data sets, allergies were identified as causal for triggering multiple respiratory illnesses, including asthma, thus underscoring the need for allergy diagnosis and treatment in the earliest possible stages of a performance career. Through the qualitative free response data, participants expressed their need for specific information on managing asthma and allergies both in and outside their voice studios and their need to understand best behavioral practices for managing respiratory conditions for a successful singing career. Recommendations for further research, as well as resources for institutions, teachers of singing, and singers with asthma and/or allergies, are included in this document.
Recommended Citation
Jenkins, Nicole Dorothy, "A survey of collegiate voice students with asthma and allergies and their perceived impact on singer health and performance experiences – A pilot study" (2024). Dissertations, 2020-current. 135.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/diss202029/135
