Behavior, Social Competence, and Voice Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence.

Objectives/hypothesis: This study aimed to verify the relationships among voice change complaints, indicators of competence, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents.

Study Design: This is a prospective study.

Methods: A sample of 103 parents/guardians completed the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 6-18 years. The mean age and gender were very similar between the participants with and without voice complaints.

Results: Regarding the competences, no differences were found between the participants with and without voice complaints. The group with voice complaints presented higher total scores and T-scores in the both anxiety/depression and somatic complaints domains and in the internalising, externalizing, and total scales. The total scores and T-scores on the internalising, externalizing, and total scales, as well as those of their domains (anxiety/depression, somatic complaints, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, rule-breaking behavior, and aggressive behavior), differed between children and adolescents with and without voice complaints.

Conclusions: Children and adolescents with complaints of voice disorder demonstrate a potential risk of developing emotional/behavioral problems.