Short-Term Effects of Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Therapy on the Phonation of Children With Vocal Fold Nodules: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: The aim was to determine and compare the short-term effects of two intensive semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) programs, "straw phonation" (SP) and "resonant voice therapy" (RVT), on the phonation of children with vocal fold nodules.

Method: A pretest-posttest randomized controlled study design was used. Thirty children aged 6-12 years were randomly assigned to the SP group ( = 11), RVT group ( = 11), or control group receiving indirect treatment ( = 8) for their voice problems.

Experiences with healthcare for unilateral vocal fold paralysis: A qualitative study of the patient's perspective.

Objective: Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) frequently causes severe dysphonia, which necessitates multidisciplinary treatment. Literature on outcomes of interventions has primarily focused on vocal fold motility or instrumental vocal outcomes, but the perspectives of patients about the treatment process have not yet been investigated. The purpose of the study was therefore to explore patient experiences with healthcare for UVFP.

Exploring autonomic dysfunction in functional dysphonia: A protocol for a case-control study and a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although psychological factors have been implicated in patients with functional dysphonia (FD), conventional voice therapy (CVT) typically targets the aberrant voice symptoms exclusively. Yet, CVT is not always successful, and in view of the significant adverse quality of life impact combined with the financial burden on the healthcare system and society, research is needed to elucidate the underlying psychophysiology of FD and improve treatment outcomes.

Objectives: The first objective of this research project is to compare the occurrence and frequency of symptoms and/or disorders related to autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in patients with FD with gender- and age-matched vocally healthy controls, using a case-control study.

Long-term Acoustic Effects of Gender-Affirming Voice Training in Transgender Women.

Objectives: One role of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is to help transgender clients in developing a healthy, gender-congruent communication. Transgender women frequently approach SLPs to train their voices to sound more feminine, however, long-term acoustic effects of the training needs to be rigorously examined in effectiveness studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects (follow-up 1: 3months and follow-up 2: 1year after last session) of gender-affirming voice training for transgender women, in terms of acoustic parameters.

Experiences of Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Insider's Perspective.

Objective: Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) is often characterized by severe dysphonia and has a significant impact on a patient's communication in daily and vocational situations. Having a better understanding of how UVFP influences quality of life and patient experiences can help improve patient-centered care in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of patients with UVFP.

The Occurrence of Laryngeal Pathologies in a Treatment-Seeking Pediatric Population.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to 1) describe the age- and sex-specific occurrence of laryngeal pathologies in a treatment-seeking pediatric population in the voice unit of Ghent University Hospital, Belgium, and 2) describe this population in terms of vocal parameters, vocal complaints, influencing factors, and treatment history and recommendation.

Study Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Methods: All patient records were analyzed for children (0-18 years) who consulted the ear, nose, and throat department of Ghent University Hospital for the first time between July 2015 and June 2021 with complaints of dysphonia.

Short-term effects of a speech feminization program for transgender women: listener perceptions, self-perception and satisfaction of the voice.

This study measured and compared the short-term impact of pitch elevation training (PET) and articulation-resonance training (ART) in transgender women, on self-perception, satisfaction and masculinity-femininity perceptions of listeners. A randomized controlled study with cross-over design was used. Thirty transgender women were included and received fourteen weeks of speech training.

Clinical Experiences of Speech-Language Pathologists in the Rehabilitation of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

Purpose: Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) is a neurological voice disorder that is often first treated by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). In literature, little consensus is found regarding voice therapy onset, duration, frequency, and content. The aim of the current study is to investigate the clinical practice of SLPs for treatment of UVFP regarding diagnostics and treatment characteristics.

Voice Outcome of Glottoplasty in Trans Women.

Purpose: This study investigates the short- and longer-term effects of glottoplasty up to six months after surgery on acoustic voice parameters, listener perceptions, and client's satisfaction in trans women. Secondly, the impact of chondrolaryngoplasty and voice therapy on the glottopasty outcomes was investigated.

Method: A prospective longitudinal non-controlled trial was used.

Immediate effects of straw phonation in air or water on the laryngeal function and configuration of female speech-language pathology students visualised with strobovideolaryngoscopy: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: A promising way to obtain vocal economy and efficiency is by semi-occluding the vocal tract while phonating. Current knowledge about the immediate effects of semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) phonation on the laryngeal function and configuration is based mainly on computer modelling or excised larynges studies. In in vivo SOVT studies, electroglottography (EGG) has been the most commonly used laryngeal outcome, showing contradictory results between studies.

Peer attitudes towards adolescents with speech disorders due to cleft lip and palate.

Background And Aims: Individuals with speech disorders are often judged more negatively than peers without speech disorders. A limited number of studies examined the attitudes of adolescents toward peers with speech disorders due to a cleft lip with or without a cleft of the palate (CL ± P). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the attitudes of peers toward the speech of adolescents with CL ± P.

Longitudinal Vocal Outcomes and Voice-Related Quality of Life After Selective Bilateral Laryngeal Reinnervation: A Case Study.

Purpose: Bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) is a severe disorder that can result in respiratory, swallowing, and voice-related problems. Most surgical treatments do not restore laryngeal function and often need to compromise voice quality to preserve respiratory function. Laryngeal reinnervation (LR) may offer a solution to this problem, but literature on longitudinal outcomes of this procedure is scarce.

EASE-NL: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Dutch Version of the Evaluation of Ability to Sing Easily.

Objectves: The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) is a self-rating tool that is used to assess the singer's perceptions of the current singing voice status. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Dutch translation of the EASE.

Methods: The original version of the EASE was translated and adapted to Dutch according to the recommendations of the Quality of Life Special Interest Group - Translation and Cultural Adaptation group.

Voice Quality of Choir Singers and the Effect of a Performance on the Voice.

Background: The voice use of choir singers is understudied despite the imbalance of high vocal demands versus low vocal education, and consequently increased risk for voice problems. Also, there is a lack of information on the effects of a performance on choristers' voices. Available studies included performances of at least one hour.

Knowledge of the Voice in the Teachers' Population and their Ability to Refer Children with Voice Disorders to a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate (1) the knowledge of primary school teachers regarding voice and voice disorders, (2) the primary school teacher's ability to identify and refer a dysphonic child to a speech-language pathologist (SLP), and (3) potential contributing factors that might affect this ability.

Method And Materials: Thirty-one primary school teachers (30 women, one man) with a mean age of 33 years (range: 22-57 years; SD: 11.1 years) were included in this study.

Effects of voice therapy in children with vocal fold nodules: A systematic review.

Background: Vocal fold nodules (VFNs) are the main cause of paediatric dysphonia. Voice therapy is recommended as the preferable treatment option for VFNs in children.

Aim: The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the existing literature concerning the effects of voice therapy in children with VFNs.

Listeners' attitudes towards voice disorders: An interaction between auditory and visual stimuli.

Objective: People with dysphonia are judged more negatively than peers with normal vocal quality. This preliminary study aims to (1) investigate correlations between both auditory-perceptual and objective measures of vocal quality of dysphonic and non-dysphonic speakers and attitudes of listeners, and (2) discover whether these attitudes towards people with dysphonia vary for different types of stimuli: auditory (A) stimuli and combined auditory-visual (AV) stimuli. Visual (V) stimuli were included as a control condition.

Validity and Reliability of the Dutch Children's Voice Handicap Index-10.

Objectives: Voice-related quality of life (Qol) questionnaires provide the clinician with information regarding the impact of voice disorders on the patient's well-being. The available voice-related QoL tools for Dutch-speaking children are parent-proxy in nature. However, the use of proxy measurements has been debated in the literature.

Immediate and Short-term Effects of Straw Phonation in Air or Water on Vocal Fold Vibration and Supraglottic Activity of Adult Patients with Voice Disorders Visualized with Strobovideolaryngoscopy: A Pilot Study.

Purpose The first purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the short-term effects after a semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) therapy session consisting of straw phonation (SP) in air or water on vocal fold vibration and supraglottic activity of adult patients with voice disorders, visualized with strobovideolaryngoscopy (SVL). The second purpose of this study was to investigate and compare immediate changes in the patients' vocal fold vibration and supraglottic activity during SP in air or water, visualized with SVL. Methods Twelve adult patients with voice disorders (eight women and four men, mean age 52 years) were assigned randomly to one of two study groups: SP in air or SP in water.

Long-term voice quality outcome after thyroidectomy without laryngeal nerve injury: a prospective 10 year follow up study.

Purpose: This study investigates the long-term voice outcome of thyroidectomy up to 10 years after the surgery using a longitudinal prospective study design.

Methods: Eighteen participants (6 men and 12 women, mean age: 54 years) who underwent a thyroidectomy between September 2006 and May 2007 were included in this study. A voice assessment protocol consisting of subjective (videolaryngostroboscopic evaluation, auditory- perceptual evaluation, patients' self-report) and objective voice assessments (maximum performance task, acoustic analysis, voice range profile and Dysphonia Severity Index) was used to evaluate the participants' pre- and postoperative voice.

Vocal Quality, Symptoms, and Habits in Musical Theater Actors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the voice characteristics and vocal complaints and habits of musical theater actors and musical theater students.

Method: Thirty participants were included in the study, 18 musical theater students and 12 professional musical theater actors. Vocal quality was measured by the multiparameter indices Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI).

Vocal Quality After a Performance in Actors Compared to Dancers.

State Of The Art: Theater actors are a high risk group for developing voice disorders.

Aims: The first purpose of this study was to examine and compare the objective and subjective vocal quality between professional theater actors, non-professional theater actors and a control group of professional dancers. Secondly, the impact of one theater performance on the objective and subjective vocal quality was investigated within and between the groups.