Which of the following is NOT a phonotraumatic behavior?

• A. Gentle whispering
• B. Shouting
• C. Loud talking
• D. Throat clearing

Answer: (A)

Phonotraumatic behaviors are actions that put excessive stress on the vocal folds and raise the risk of tissue injury with repeated use. Shouting and loud talking drive high subglottal pressure and force the vocal folds together hard, which over time can lead to nodules, polyps, or swelling. Throat clearing similarly involves repeated, vigorous vocal fold collision and irritation. Gentle whispering, by contrast, uses a whisper phonation with little to no vocal fold vibration and generally less force, so it carries far less risk of damage. So, the behavior that is not phonotraumatic is gentle whispering. (Context: whispering isn’t entirely risk-free if done with tension or excessive breath pressure, but it’s not considered phonotraumatic in the usual sense.)