Persuasion through Focus Groups: Helping Teachers Maintain Healthy Voices

Background: Vocal health issues among teachers have been notably prevalent yet often underprioritized in teacher education. Leveraging focus groups as a persuasive tool in health communication, this study investigates their effectiveness in promoting healthy voice behaviors among teachers, a professional group with significant vocal demands. By using persuasive communication and social judgment theory principles, this research aims to probe the influence of participatory discussions on adopting and retaining vocal health strategies. Methods: Employing a mixed-methods design, ten online focus groups with 48 teachers (77% females, age range: 27 to 63) were conducted, as a stratified sample from a national database of school teachers to ensure diversity. The sessions were designed to facilitate dialogue on vocal health challenges specific to teachers. Follow-up surveys administered three months later measured the retention of information, further engagement, and behavioral changes, obtaining an 85% response rate. Results: Pre-focus group knowledge of vocal health was self-rated as high. Three months later, there was a significant memory recall for voice rest, volume management, and strain related to mask-wearing. Nevertheless, only 21% sought further information online, while 78% reported discussing vocal health with peers. Behavioral changes were reported by 78% of participants, predominantly in self-care and managing environmental factors. High agreement rates in content analysis and notable themes such as self-care techniques and environmental awareness emerged, underlining the focus group’s impact. Discussion: The focus group approach was proven effective for raising vocal health awareness, aligning with consistent messaging and self-efficacy in persuasive communication theories. Teachers’ readiness to change behaviors was linked to the feasibility of integrating new practices into their routines. Although the findings are specific to teachers and may not generalize, they underscore the potential for integrating vocal health into teacher training and highlight the utility of focus groups for lasting behavioral change.