Validation of the Spanish Version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties and Clinical Applications.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to validate the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL), vocal self-assessment questionnaire for Spanish. METHODS: The validation and psychometric properties were developed according to the criteria of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Medical Outcomes Trust (SAC). The Spanish translation for linguistic and cultural adaptation of the V-RQOL was used. The study involved 193 participants, including 90 vocally healthy individuals and 103 patients with voice disorders, to establish validity. To evaluate reliability, the protocol was applied to 40 participants with dysphonia, who answered it twice before the treatment. Then to determine response changes, the responses of 13 dysphonic participants to the V-RQOL for Spanish were analyzed after intervention and then compared to the initial ones. Clinicians contrasted subjects' V-RQOL results with a perceptual analysis of voice quality using the GRBAS scale. In order to determine sensitivity and specificity cut-off values, tools results were subjected to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The sensitivity was obtained from the experimental group (dysphonic group) and the specificity from the control group (non-dysphonic group). RESULTS: This version of the V-RQOL questionnaire may be used as part of the standard assessment process of people with voice complaints and as an outcome of treatment efficacy in clinical trials. CONCLUSION: A validation of the V-RQOL for Spanish in Chilean population was achieved.

Voice self-assessment in individuals with Parkinson's Disease as compared to general voice disorders.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with Parkinson's Disease (IwPD) often fail to adjust their voice in different situations, without awareness of this limitation. Clinicians use self-report questionnaires that are typically designed for individuals with General Voice Disorders (GVD) in the vocal assessment of IwPD. However, these instruments may not consider that IwPD have a reduced self-perception of their vocal deficits. This study aimed to compare self-reported vocal symptoms and voice loudness between IwPD and GVD. METHODS: 28 IwPD and 26 with GVD completed the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) questionnaire to evaluate their voice self-perception. Vocal loudness (dB) was also assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the outcomes from these measures between the two groups. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis were applied to explore data patterns related to voice symptoms. RESULTS: IwPD reported significantly fewer vocal symptoms than those with GVD in all VoiSS questionnaire domains. Multivariate principal component analysis found no significant correlations between VoiSS scores and participant similarities in voice measures. Despite experiencing hypophonia, IwPD scored lower in all VoiSS domains but still fell in the healthy voice range. Hierarchical Clustering Analysis grouped participants into three distinct categories, primarily based on age, vocal loudness, and VoiSS domain scores, distinguishing between PD and GVD individuals. CONCLUSIONS: IwPD reported fewer vocal symptoms than GVD. The voice self-assessment seems to be unreliable to assess vocal symptoms in IwPD, at least regarding loudness. New self-report instruments tailored to PD individuals are needed due to their particular voice characteristics.

Auditory-perceptual Assessment of Healthy and Disordered Voices Using the Voice Deviation Scale.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to (1) determine the cut-off values of the Global Severity of vocal deviation on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from the numerical scale ratings, and (2) identify the cut-off values according to different degrees of vocal deviation used by Voice-Specialized Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: The auditory-perceptual assessment was performed by four SLPs using two protocols with different scales: the VAS and the 4-point numerical scale. Among the 211 voices analyzed, 147 corresponded to female participants, and 64 corresponded to males, plus 20% repeated voice samples. Participants were between 19 and 60 years. All of them were asked to count from 1 to 10 and were recorded in a sound-proof booth. For both protocols, the judges scored the overall severity. One SLP was excluded from the analysis due to inconsistency during the perceptual assessment. RESULTS: For normal voice and mild deviations, overall severity cut-off score on the VAS was 21. For mild-moderate deviations, the cut-off was 55; and 81 points for moderate and severe deviations. The Area Under the Curve values correspond to 0.725, 0.905 and 0.851, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the VAS is a good instrument to be used during voice assessment performed by Chilean SLPs. However, it evidences possible differences in voice analysis perception with other cut-off scores performed in other countries, which can be compared to future studies.

Revisión narrativa de instrumentos de autoevaluación vocal en Chile / Narrative review of vocal self-assessment instruments in Chile

Los sujetos disfónicos no siempre presentan una adecuada percepción de su voz o de cómo las alteraciones vocales afectan a su entorno, modificando su calidad de vida. Los protocolos de auto evaluación vocal ayudan al clínico a percibir si el paciente disfónico se siente afectado por sus problemas vocales o no. Existen numerosos protocolos de auto evaluación vocal, sin embargo, pocos de estos están actualmente validados en Chile. Este trabajo corresponde a una revisión narrativa respecto de la validación de instrumentos de autoevaluación vocal en Chile. Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda bibliográfica en: Pubmed, Scielo y Bireme. Fueron empleados los siguientes descriptores: Chile, voz, autoevaluación, calidad de vida, estudios de validación, comparación transcultural y sus respectivos términos en inglés: Chile, voice, validation study, self-assessment, quality of life, crosscultural comparision. Dos restricciones fueron empleadas: las investigaciones debían estar publicadas en inglés y/o español, con fecha de publicación entre 2008 y 2020. Se encontraron 41 artículos, eliminándose 24 duplicados y 13 de contenidos no relacionados, resultando en 4 artículos analizados correspondientes a 3 instrumentos traducidos al español. El uso de protocolos de autoevaluación vocal complementa la evaluación clínica y objetiva de la voz, contribuyendo con la percepción del paciente, relevante para el tratamiento fonoaudiológico, sin embargo, la cantidad de protocolos de autoevaluación vocal en Chile con traducción, adaptación cultural y validación estandarizada continúa siendo escasa.

Dysphonic subjects do not always present an adequate perception of their voice, or of how vocal alterations affect their environment, modifying their quality of life. Vocal self-as-sessment protocols help the clinician to perceive whether the dysphonic patient feels affected by his vocal problems or not. There are numerous protocols for vocal self-assessment, however, few of these are currently validated in Chile. This work corresponds to a narrative review regarding the validation of vocal self-assessment instruments in Chile. The bibliographic search was conducted in the search sites: Pubmed, Scielo and Bireme. The following descriptors were used: Chile, voice, validation studies, cross-cultural comparison. Two restrictions were used: the research had to be published in English and/or Spanish, with a publication date between 2008 and 2020. A total of 41 articles were found, eliminating 24 duplicates and 13 of unrelated content, resulting in 4 articles analyzed corresponding to 3 instruments translated into Spanish. The use of vocal self-assessment protocols complements the clinical and objective assessment of the voice, contributing to the perception of the patient, relevant for speech therapy, however, the number of vocal self-assessment protocols in Chile with translation, cultural adaptation and standardized validation remains sparse.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Chilean Version of the Voice Activity and Participation Profile - VAPP. / Traducción y equivalencia cultural de la Versión Chilena del Voice Activity and Participation Profile ­ VAPP.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to obtain the cross-culturally-adapted Chilean version of the voice activity and participation profile - VAPP. METHODS: The process began a with translation of the original English version of the VAPP instrument into Spanish, carried out by two bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLP), followed by a back-translation from a third SLP who was unbiased by the previous stages. A committee of 5 SLP with experience in the area of voice compared the original version, the back translation, and the translated version, seeking divergences and discrepancies between the three versions. A consensus was reached, and they renamed the protocol "Perfil de Participación y Actividad Vocal (PPAV-CL)", with 28 questions which were answered using a visual analog scale (VAS) of 100 millimeters in length. In the process of making the cross-cultural equivalence, the protocol was applied to 24 subjects with voice disorders. For each question, the option of "Not applicable" was added to the answer choices for identification of the questions not comprehended or not appropriate for the target population. None of the subjects under assessment had difficulty answering the questions, therefore it was unnecessary to modify the translation of any of them. The final version of the PPAV-CL shows the appropriate characteristics to be understood. RESULTS: The PPAV-CL instrument reflects the original English version in the number of questions and items. CONCLUSION: a cultural equivalence of the VAPP to Chilean Spanish was achieved. The validation of the PPAV-CL is currently underway.

OBJETIVO: Obtener la equivalencia cultural de la versión chilena del Protocolo VAPP, por medio de su adaptación cultural y lingüística. MÉTODO: El proceso se inicia con la traducción del instrumento original del VAPP realizada por dos Fonoaudiólogos bilingües. Seguido de una retro traducción al inglés por una tercera Fonoaudióloga quien no presenta sesgos de etapas previas. Un comité conformado por 5 Fonoaudiólogos con experiencia en el área de la voz comparó la versión original, retro traducida y traducida, buscando divergencias y discrepancias entre las tres versiones. Llegando a un consenso, el protocolo se tituló "Perfil de Participación y Actividad Vocal (PPAV-CL)", con 28 preguntas, las cuales son consignadas con escala analógica visual (EAV) de 100 milímetros de largo. Durante el proceso de equivalencia cultural, se aplicó el protocolo a 28 sujetos con trastornos de voz. En cada pregunta, se adicionó la opción "No aplicable" como respuesta, con el objetivo de identificar preguntas incomprendidas o inadecuadas del grupo albo. Ninguno de los sujetos evaluados tuvo dificultad en responder las preguntas, por lo cual no fue necesario modificar la traducción de ninguna de ellas. La versión final del protocolo PPAV-CL presenta las características adecuadas en su comprensión. RESULTADOS: El instrumento PPAV-CL refleja la versión original en inglés, en número de preguntas e ítems. CONCLUSION: Se logró equivalencia cultural de VAPP para el español chileno (PPAV-CL). La validación del PPAV-CL está actualmente en curso.

Terapia de voz en el contexto de la pandemia covid-19; recomendaciones para la práctica clínica.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the new pandemic, COVID-19 health services have had to face a new scenario. Voice therapy faces a double challenge, interventions using telepractice, and delivering rehabilitation services to a growing population of patients at risk of functional impairment related to the COVID-19 disease. Moreover, as COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets, it is critical to understand how to mitigate these risks during assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To promote safety, and effective clinical practice to voice assessment and rehabilitation in the pandemic COVID-19 context for speech-language pathologists. METHODS: A group of 11 experts in voice and swallowing disorders from 5 different countries conducted a consensus recommendation following the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery rules building a clinical guide for speech-language pathologists during this pandemic context. RESULTS: The clinical guide provides 79 recommendations for clinicians in the management of voice disorders during the pandemic and includes advice from assessment, direct treatment, telepractice, and teamwork. The consensus was reached 95% for all topics. CONCLUSION: This guideline should be taken only as recommendations; each clinician must attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and achieve the best therapeutic results taking into account the patient's particular reality.

Terapia Vocal No Contexto Da Pandemia Do Covid-19; Orientações Para A Prática Clínica.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the new pandemic, Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) health services have had to face a new scenario. Voice therapy faces a double challenge, interventions using telepractice, and delivering rehabilitation services to a growing population of patients at risk of functional impairment related to the COVID-19 disease. Moreover, as COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets, it is critical to understand how to mitigate these risks during assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To promote safety, and effective clinical practice to voice assessment and rehabilitation in the pandemic COVID-19 context for speech-language pathologists. METHODS: A group of 11 experts in voice and swallowing disorders from five different countries conducted a consensus recommendation following the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery rules building a clinical guide for speech-language pathologists during this pandemic context. RESULT: The clinical guide provides 79 recommendations for clinicians in the management of voice disorders during the pandemic and includes advice from assessment, direct treatment, telepractice, and teamwork. The consensus was reached 95% for all topics. CONCLUSION: This guideline should be taken only as recommendation; each clinician must attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and achieve the best therapeutic results taking into account the patient's particular reality.

Voice Therapy in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Guidelines for Clinical Practice.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the new pandemic, COVID-19 health services have had to face a new scenario. Voice therapy faces a double challenge, interventions using telepractice, and delivering rehabilitation services to a growing population of patients at risk of functional impairment related to the COVID-19 disease. Moreover, as COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets, it is critical to understand how to mitigate these risks during assessment and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To promote safety, and effective clinical practice to voice assessment and rehabilitation in the pandemic COVID-19 context for speech-language pathologists. METHODS: A group of 11 experts in voice and swallowing disorders from five different countries conducted a consensus recommendation following the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery rules building a clinical guide for speech-language pathologists during this pandemic context. RESULTS: The clinical guide provides 65 recommendations for clinicians in the management of voice disorders during the pandemic and includes advice from assessment, direct treatment, telepractice, and teamwork. The consensus was reached 95% for all topics. CONCLUSION: This guideline should be taken only as recommendation; each clinician must attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and achieve the best therapeutic results taking into account the patient's particular reality.

Auditory-vocal integration impairment: New challenges and opportunities for voice assessment and therapy / Alteración de la integración auditivo-vocal: nuevos retos y oportunidades para la evaluación y la terapia de la voz

This reflection paper addresses the importance of the interaction between voice perception and voice production, emphasizing the processes of auditory-vocal in-tegration that are not yet widely reported in the context of voice clinicians. Given the above, this article seeks to 1) highlight the important link between voice pro-duction and voice perception and 2) consider whether this relationship might be exploited clinically for diagnostic purposes and therapeutic benefit. Existing theories on speech production and its interaction with auditory perception provide context for discussing why the evaluation of auditory-vocal processes could help identify associ-ated origins of dysphonia and inform the clinician around appropriate management strategies. Incorporating auditory-vocal integration assessment through sensorimotor adaptation paradigm testing could prove to be an important addition to voice assess-ment protocols at the clinical level. Further, if future studies can specify the means to manipulate and enhance a person's auditory-vocal integration, the efficiency of voice therapy could be increased, leading to improved quality of life for people with voice disorders

Este artículo de reflexión aborda la importancia de la interacción entre la percepción y la producción de la voz, haciendo hincapié en los procesos de integración auditivo-vocal, los cuales aún no han sido muy divulgados en el contexto de los clínicos de voz. Dado lo anterior, este articulo busca: 1) destacar la importante relación entre la producción y la percepción de la voz y 2) considerar si esta relación pudiese explotarse clínicamente con fines diagnósticos y terapéuticos. Las teorías existentes sobre la producción de la voz y su interacción con la percepción auditiva proporcionan el contexto para discutir por qué la evaluación de los procesos auditivo-vocales podría ayudar a identificar los orígenes asociados a cierto tipo de disfonías e informar al clínico sobre las estrategias de abordaje adecuadas. La incorporación de la evaluación de la integración auditivo-vocal a través de la prueba del paradigma de adaptación sensoriomotora podría ser una importante adición a los protocolos de evaluación de la voz a nivel clínico. Además, si los estudios futuros pueden especificar los medios para manipular y mejorar la integración auditivo-vocal de una persona, la eficacia de la terapia de la voz podría aumentar, lo que llevaría a mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas con trastornos de la voz

Traducción y equivalencia cultural de la Versión Chilena del Voice Activity and Participation Profile - VAPP / Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Chilean Version of the Voice Activity and Participation Profile - VAPP

RESUMEN Objetivo Obtener la equivalencia cultural de la versión chilena del Protocolo VAPP, por medio de su adaptación cultural y lingüística. Método El proceso se inicia con la traducción del instrumento original del VAPP realizada por dos Fonoaudiólogos bilingües. Seguido de una retro traducción al inglés por una tercera Fonoaudióloga quien no presenta sesgos de etapas previas. Un comité conformado por 5 Fonoaudiólogos con experiencia en el área de la voz comparó la versión original, retro traducida y traducida, buscando divergencias y discrepancias entre las tres versiones. Llegando a un consenso, el protocolo se tituló "Perfil de Participación y Actividad Vocal (PPAV-CL)", con 28 preguntas, las cuales son consignadas con escala analógica visual (EAV) de 100 milímetros de largo. Durante el proceso de equivalencia cultural, se aplicó el protocolo a 28 sujetos con trastornos de voz. En cada pregunta, se adicionó la opción "No aplicable" como respuesta, con el objetivo de identificar preguntas incomprendidas o inadecuadas del grupo albo. Ninguno de los sujetos evaluados tuvo dificultad en responder las preguntas, por lo cual no fue necesario modificar la traducción de ninguna de ellas. La versión final del protocolo PPAV-CL presenta las características adecuadas en su comprensión. Resultados El instrumento PPAV-CL refleja la versión original en inglés, en número de preguntas e ítems. Conclusion Se logró equivalencia cultural de VAPP para el español chileno (PPAV-CL). La validación del PPAV-CL está actualmente en curso.

ABSTRACT Purpose The present study aimed to obtain the cross-culturally-adapted Chilean version of the voice activity and participation profile - VAPP. Methods The process began a with translation of the original English version of the VAPP instrument into Spanish, carried out by two bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLP), followed by a back-translation from a third SLP who was unbiased by the previous stages. A committee of 5 SLP with experience in the area of voice compared the original version, the back translation, and the translated version, seeking divergences and discrepancies between the three versions. A consensus was reached, and they renamed the protocol "Perfil de Participación y Actividad Vocal (PPAV-CL)", with 28 questions which were answered using a visual analog scale (VAS) of 100 millimeters in length. In the process of making the cross-cultural equivalence, the protocol was applied to 24 subjects with voice disorders. For each question, the option of "Not applicable" was added to the answer choices for identification of the questions not comprehended or not appropriate for the target population. None of the subjects under assessment had difficulty answering the questions, therefore it was unnecessary to modify the translation of any of them. The final version of the PPAV-CL shows the appropriate characteristics to be understood. Results The PPAV-CL instrument reflects the original English version in the number of questions and items. Conclusion a cultural equivalence of the VAPP to Chilean Spanish was achieved. The validation of the PPAV-CL is currently underway.