Effects of a voice therapy program in a group of patients with dysphonia: a pilot study

ABSTRACT

Purpose  To identify the effects of a phonotherapy program in a group of patients with dysphonia through auditory-perceptual and vocal self-perception assessments.

Methods  Pilot study: an uncontrolled clinical trial with a convenience sample. Twenty-two patients with an otorhinolaryngological diagnosis of dysphonia participated in the study, including 15 women and 7 men, with a mean age of 59.4 ± 12.53, who underwent 10 speech therapy sessions in groups of 5 to 6 people, with direct and indirect therapy based on the Comprehensive Vocal Rehabilitation Program (CVRP). Patients were individually assessed before and after the therapeutic program, the assessment included auditory-perceptual analysis with the Vocal Symptoms Scale (VSS) and auditory-perceptual analysis of voice quality GRBAS, performed by speech-language pathologists specializing in voice.

Results  After the therapeutic program, there was a significant difference in the score for the general degree of change in the VSS (p=0.002), and also in the limitation (p=0.002) and emotional (p=0.006) subscales, indicating selfperceived reduction in vocal symptoms after intervention. However, no significant results were found in the pre- and posttreatment comparison regarding vocal quality.

Conclusion  The study demonstrated that the voice therapy program had statistically significant effects in relation to self-reported vocal symptoms, thus signaling a promising path for an eclectic approach to group vocal therapy.

Keywords:  Voice training; Dysphonia; Rehabilitation; Voice disorders; Voice