Multidimensional Assessment of the Effectiveness of Group Voice Therapy

Publication date: Available online 1 March 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Giovanna Cantarella, Sara Torretta, Silvia Ferruta, Annaclara Ciabatta, Claudia Manfredi, Lorenzo Pignataro, Philippe Dejonckere
ObjectiveGroup voice therapy has been successfully used in patients with dysphonia, but there is little objectively documented evidence of its effects on voice quality and the self-perception of voice fatigue. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of group therapy in patients with functional dysphonia and minor anatomic vocal fold pathologies linked by appearance and history to voice use in an objective and multidimensional manner.Study designThis is a prospective longitudinal study.MethodsBefore and after treatment, 34 adult women underwent perceptual voice assessments using the grade of dysphonia, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale, Evaluation Vocale Assistée (EVA) system aerodynamic and acoustic assessments, and maximum phonation time measurements, and made subjective evaluations using the Voice Handicap Index. The pretreatment baseline values of the participants were obtained by means of two examinations separated by an interval of 1 week. The parameters belonging to each main dimension were clustered by means of Z-transformation, and the corresponding Z-scores were analyzed.ResultsGroup therapy was associated with a statistically significant improvement in the perceptual (P = 0.008), acoustic (P = 0.040), aerodynamic (P = 0.009 and <0.001), and self-evaluation parameters (P = 0.011).ConclusionsOur findings provide evidence that group voice therapy can be associated with improvements in perceptual, acoustic, aerodynamic, and self-evaluated parameters in some patients with dysphonia. Controlled, randomized studies are needed in follow-up. This method of treatment may be a means of reducing the costs and waiting lists associated with rehabilitative treatment, and enhancing patients' motivation and compliance.



from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2lfUMns
via IFTTT