The Effect of Ethnicity on the Age-Of-Onset of the Male Voice Change
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE EFFECT OF ETHNICITY ON THE AGE-OF-ONSET OF THE MALE VOICE CHANGE Ryan Austin Fisher, B.M.E., M.M. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS December 2008 APPROVED: Debbie Rohwer, Major Professor and Chair of the Division of Music Education Warren Henry, Minor Professor Don Taylor, Committee Member Donna Emmanuel, Program Coordinator in the College of Music James C. Scott, Dean of the College of Music Sandra L. Terrell, Dean of the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies Fisher, Ryan Austin. The effect of ethnicity on the age-of-onset of the male voice change. Doctor of Philosophy (Music Education), December 2008, 100 pp., 10 tables, 6 illustrations, references, 114 titles. The purposes of this study were to describe the characteristics of the changing male voice in 4th, 5th and 6th grade students using Cooksey’s maturation stages and, to compare the age-of- onset of the male voice change in African American, White, and Hispanic male students. Participants included volunteer 4th (n = 61), 5th (n = 73), and 6th grade male students (n = 63) from 2 urban elementary schools, 5 suburban elementary schools, 1 suburban middle school and 1 urban middle school in the North Texas region. The three ethnic groups represented in this study were: African American (n = 62), White (n = 58), and Hispanic (n = 77). Results indicated that approximately 46% of 4th grade participants, 62% of 5th grade participants, and 67% of 6th grade participants were classified as changing voices. A descriptively larger percentage of African American participants were classified as changing voices than Hispanic and White participants. Also, a larger percentage of African American and Hispanic participants were descriptively classified in the more advanced stages of the voice change than White participants. Urban African American, White, and Hispanic participants had a larger percentage of males classified as changing voices than suburban African American, White, and Hispanic participants. Results of a one-way, between subjects ANOVA revealed no significant main effect for ethnicity, F (2, 51) = .42, p = .66, η2 = .02. The overall mean age-of- onset for participants in this study was approximately 11.20 years of age. Copyright 2008 by Ryan Austin Fisher ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I give all honor and glory to my Father for the incredible grace He has granted me throughout my life and especially throughout the doctoral program. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to my major professor, Dr. Debbie Rohwer for her patient guidance throughout this process and the incredible knowledge and wisdom she has imparted to me. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Warren Henry and Dr. Don Taylor, for their invaluable input and constant encouragement. Sincere appreciation must also be given to the district and campus administrators as well as the phenomenal music educators who assisted with this research study. To all of the tremendous participants who volunteered for this study, I must express my indebtedness to you. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my incredible family. None of this would have ever been possible without the encouragement and support from my amazing wife, Heather, and handsome son, Austin. This tremendous accomplishment would mean very little without my loving family to share it with. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... vii Chapters 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 Need for the Study ...................................................................................... 1 Purposes of the Study.................................................................................. 5 Definitions................................................................................................... 6 Limitations .................................................................................................. 7 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ........................................................................ 9 Physiological Characteristics Associated with Puberty.............................. 9 Theories of the Male Voice Change ......................................................... 11 British Male Voice Change Theories............................................ 13 American Male Voice Change Theories....................................... 16 Age-of-Onset of the Male Voice Change ................................................. 22 Ethnicity and the Male Voice Change ...................................................... 24 School Setting and the Male Voice Change ............................................. 27 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 29 3. METHOD ............................................................................................................. 31 School Districts......................................................................................... 33 Procedures................................................................................................. 34 Research Design........................................................................................ 37 Data Analysis............................................................................................ 40 Validity and Reliability............................................................................. 41 4. RESULTS ............................................................................................................. 47 Research Questions................................................................................... 47 Research Question 1 ..................................................................... 47 iv Research Question 2 ..................................................................... 51 Research Question 3 ..................................................................... 58 Research Question 4 ..................................................................... 64 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................... 66 Design and Analysis ................................................................................. 66 Summary of Results.................................................................................. 67 Discussion................................................................................................. 69 Research Question 1 ..................................................................... 69 Research Question 2 ..................................................................... 73 Research Question 3 ..................................................................... 74 Research Question 4 ..................................................................... 76 Limitations ................................................................................................ 77 Recommendations for Future Research.................................................... 79 Appendices A. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD LETTERS .............................................. 83 B. INFORMED CONSENT/ASSENT FORM.......................................................... 86 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 93 v LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Ethnic Group Representation by Grade and School Type................................................ 32 2. Discussion of Threats to Internal Validity for This Study................................................ 38 3. Pilot Study Ethnic Group Representation by Grade ......................................................... 45 4. Descriptive Statistics for Age, HTP, and LTP by Voice Change Stage ........................... 48 5. Overall Descriptive Statistics for 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Participants ................................ 50 6. Overall Descriptive Statistics for African American, White, and Hispanic Participants ........................................................................................................................................... 53 7. Descriptive Statistics for 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Participants by Ethnicity........................ 56 8. Descriptive Statistics for Urban and Suburban School Participants by Grade ................. 60 9. Descriptive Statistics for Urban and Suburban School Participants by Ethnicity ............ 62 10. ANOVA Summary Table ................................................................................................. 65 vi LIST OF FIGURES Page 1. Scientific pitch notation. ..................................................................................................... 7 2. Cooksey’s voice change stages (mean ranges and tessitura)............................................ 20 3. Approximate vocal ranges for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade participants. .................................... 51 4. Approximate vocal ranges for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade African American, White, and Hispanic participants........................................................................................................