Naslov
Self-assessment of vocal fatigue in muscle tension dysphonia and vocal nodules: a preliminary analysis of the discriminatory potential of the Croatian adaptation of the vocal fatigue index (VFI-C)

Autori
Bonetti, Ana ; Bonetti, Luka ; Čipčić, Ozana

Izvornik
Journal of voice (0892-1997) 35 (2019), 2; E1-e15

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
vocal fatigue ; self-assessment ; vocal fatigue index ; muscle tension dysphonia ; vocal nodules

Sažetak
In this paper the authors hypothesize that the intensity of subjective experience of vocal fatigue (VF) potentially reflects primary (hyper) functional vocal disorders (primary muscle tension dysphonia – MTD) differently than structural vocal disorders of functional etiology (MTD type 2a). Given the reported benefit of self-evaluation in the quantification of VF, the goal of this study was to test the potential of the Croatian adaptation of the Vocal Fatigue Index questionnaire (VFI-C) in order to show different VF intensities for the two above-mentioned diagnoses of vocal disorders. In total, 69 vocal nonprofessionals of both sexes (average age 41.5 years, ±13.8 years), with phoniatrically determined vocal disorders of varying etiology and 50 vocal nonprofessionals of both sexes without vocal disorders (average age 44 years, ±14.7 years), recruited at otorhinolaryngological clinics at medical centers in Zagreb and Split, completed the VFI-C. Psychometric characteristics of the VFI-C were determined by calculating Cronbach's alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient , and by employing factor analysis, and the nonparametrical Mann-Whitney U test. Considering the favorable psychometric data, a descriptive analysis of the VF self-evaluation results was done for groups of participants with MTD diagnoses (10 people with an average age of 33.4, ±5.9 years) and vocal nodules ( 21 people with an average age of 37.3, ±12.8 years). A comparison was made of the average results of the MTD and vocal nodules groups using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. Given that perceived VF was found to be greater in the MTD group, it appears that the self-evaluation of VF has a discriminatory potential for different vocal difficulties, which justifies the further verification of the complementary usefulness of VF gradation in clinical descriptions of different vocal disorders.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti, Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita, Logopedija, Interdisciplinarne društvene znanosti

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