Journal article
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Voice Therapy Protocols
Journal of speech, language, and hearing research, Vol.58(3), pp.535-549
06/01/2015
DOI: 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-S-13-0231
PMCID: PMC4610291
PMID: 25675335
Abstract
Purpose: Although there is a long history of use of semi-occluded vocal tract gestures in voice therapy, including phonation through thin tubes or straws, the efficacy of phonation through tubes has not been established. This study compares results from a therapy program on the basis of phonation through a flow-resistant tube (FRT) with Vocal Function Exercises (VFE), an established set of exercises that utilize oral semi-occlusions.
Method: Twenty subjects (16 women, 4 men) with dysphonia and/or vocal fatigue were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment conditions: (a) immediate FRT therapy, (b) immediate VFE therapy, (c) delayed FRT therapy, or (d) delayed VFE therapy. Subjects receiving delayed therapy served as a no-treatment control group.
Results: Voice Handicap Index (Jacobson et al., 1997) scores showed significant improvement for both treatment groups relative to the no-treatment group. Comparison of the effect sizes suggests FRT therapy is noninferior to VFE in terms of reduction in Voice Handicap Index scores. Significant reductions in Roughness on the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (Kempster, Gerratt, Verdolini Abbott, Barkmeier-Kraemer, & Hillman, 2009) were found for the FRT subjects, with no other significant voice quality findings.
Conclusions: VFE and FRT therapy may improve voice quality of life in some individuals with dysphonia. FRT therapy was noninferior to VFE in improving voice quality of life in this study.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Voice Therapy Protocols
- Creators
- Mara R. Kapsner-Smith - University of WashingtonEric J. Hunter - Michigan State UniversityKimberly Kirkham - University of UtahKarin Cox - University of UtahIngo R. Titze - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of speech, language, and hearing research, Vol.58(3), pp.535-549
- Publisher
- Amer Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc
- DOI
- 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-S-13-0231
- PMID
- 25675335
- PMCID
- PMC4610291
- ISSN
- 1092-4388
- eISSN
- 1558-9102
- Number of pages
- 15
- Grant note
- DC004224 / National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Deafness & Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) National Center for Research Resources; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) 8UL1TR000105; UL1RR025764 / National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/01/2015
- Academic Unit
- School of Music; Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Record Identifier
- 9984446424802771
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