Social Capital Motives of voice disorders among teachers

Background: Social capital is the potential to alter the terms and level of exchange resulting from relationships of empathy that internalize the well-being of individuals within a social structure or community. Social capital motives refer to the underlying reasons and incentives that drive individuals to invest time, effort, and resources in building and maintaining social capital. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we explored the social capital motives of voice disorders among teachers. Participants completed an online Qualtrics survey, covering demographics, working conditions, voice use, and social capital motives. Results: Among the five motives, Motive #1 (“I plan on teaching even if I experience voice symptoms to maintain my income”) was the most prevalent (47%), followed by Motive #4 (“I plan on teaching even if I experience voice symptoms so that I help others whom I care about and who depend on my efforts”) (26%). Motive #1 was higher for teachers who reported having voice symptoms four and six times in the last year (Beta=5.55), those who experienced higher productivity interference due to vocal symptoms in the last month (Beta=5.38), those who reported having 10 days in the last month with reduced work productivity due to vocal symptoms (Beta=5.67), those who worked with vocal symptoms for 20 days in the last month (Beta=6.00), and those who reported good work performance in the last month (Beta=4.00). However, Motive #1 decreased among teachers who reported having four days in the last month with reduced work productivity due to vocal symptoms (Beta=-4.33). Conclusions: The motivation to teach while experiencing voice symptoms for income preservation (Motive #1) was significantly associated with reduced work productivity. This connection was particularly strong when teachers reported 10 or more days of reduced productivity due to vocal symptoms. On the contrary, the presence of only four days in the last month with reduced work productivity due to vocal symptoms resulted in a decrease in Motive #1. This highlights the dynamic relationship between voice symptoms and the motivation to persist in teaching despite them, with productivity as a key factor.