Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology最新文献

Aim: The present study investigates the effect of signal degradation on perceived listening effort in children with hearing loss listening in a simulated class-room context. It also examines the associations between perceived listening effort, passage comprehension performance and executive functioning.

Methods: Twenty-four children (aged 06:03-13:00 years) with hearing impairment using cochlear implant (CI) and/or hearing aids (HA) participated. The children made ratings of perceived listening effort after completing an auditory passage comprehension task. All children performed the task in four different listening conditions: listening to a typical (i.e. normal) voice in quiet, to a dysphonic voice in quiet, to a typical voice in background noise and to a dysphonic voice in background noise. In addition, the children completed a task assessing executive function.

Results: Both voice quality and background noise increased perceived listening effort in children with CI/HA, but no interaction with executive function was seen.

Conclusion: Since increased listening effort seems to be a consequence of increased cognitive resource spending, it is likely that less resources will be available for these children not only to comprehend but also to learn in challenging listening environments such as classrooms.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the frequency and severity of vocal tract discomfort (VTD) symptoms and to determine the relationship between VTD and type of thyroidectomy, voice problem history, vocal abuse, and misuse behaviors, and the voice handicap index (VHI) in the thyroidectomy patients undergoing thyroidectomy, pre- and post-operatively pre- and post-thyroidectomy.

Materials: The sample comprised 21 thyroidectomy patients undergoing thyroidectomy, including 10 patients with total thyroidectomy and 11 patients with partial thyroidectomy. The participants underwent videolaryngoscopy examination and completed the voice history questionnaire, the VTD scale, and the VHI, before and after the surgery.

Results: Dryness was the most frequently occurring symptom, pre- and post-thyroidectomy. Participants with total thyroidectomy reported significantly higher frequency and severity of tickling than those in the preoperative status (p<.05). The frequency and severity of many VTD symptoms in the participants with voice problems and a vocal abuse and misuse history were higher than those without such a history at both assessment times (p<.05). There was significant correlation between the frequency and severity of VTD and VHI scores, pre-thyroidectomy pre-operatively (r = 0.488-0.575, p<.05).

Conclusions: An increment in the frequency and severity of tickling was reported by total thyroidectomy patients, post-thyroidectomy post-operatively. The type of thyroidectomy, voice problem history, and vocal abuse and misuse behaviors seem to influence the frequency and severity of VTD. Considering the correlation between VTD and VHI, the VTD scale provides important clinical information and can be used for evaluation and consultation purposes.

Objective: To assess the concurrent validity and the diagnostic accuracy of the Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI) in Brazilian Portuguese.

Methods: The counting numbers 1-20 and the vowel /a/ of 150 subjects were recorded (37 vocally healthy and 113 with dysphonia). The analyzed samples were the counting number 1-11 and 3 s of the sustained vowel. Nine voice specialists performed the perceptual judgment of the degree of breathiness. The Spearman Correlation and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess ABI's concurrent validity and diagnosis accuracy.

Results: Results from five listeners were chosen for the study analyses due to moderate and substantial intra-rater reliability (Cohen's Kappa values = 0.520-0.772) and moderate inter-rater reliability (Fleiss Kappa = 0.353). The ABI presented a high concurrent validity (r = 0.746); 55.6% of the breathiness vocal deviation can be explained by the acoustic analysis (r² = 0.556). The ROC curve presented good diagnostic accuracy (85.2%). At a threshold of 2.94, the sensitivity was 75.3% and the specificity was 93.4%.

Conclusion: The ABI is a valid tool for screening and patient's follow-up regarding breathy vocal qualities in the Brazilian Portuguese language.

Aim: In this paper, we explore the performance of past-tense inflection of non-verbs (NVI) in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and in typically developing controls, to investigate its accuracy as a clinical marker for Swedish-speaking children with DLD. Further, we investigate the relationship between NVI, nonword-repetition, and family history.

Methods: The sample consists of 36 children with DLD (mean age 9;5 years) and 60 controls (mean age 9;2 years).

Results: The DLD group performed significantly lower than the controls on the NVI task, with a large effect size of the difference (d = 1.52). Analysis of the clinical accuracy of NVI resulted in 80.6% sensitivity and 76.6% specificity. NVI was significantly and moderately associated with nonword-repetition in the controls, but not in the DLD group. A positive family history, 80.6% in the DLD group and 6.9% in the controls, was associated with lower performance on NVI. When controlling for group (DLD and controls), a non-significant association between family history and performance on the NVI task was found.

Conclusions: NVI is a potential clinical marker of DLD in Swedish school-aged children, but the current NVI task does not reach the level of being acceptable. Further development of the NVI task is warranted to improve its accuracy.

Background: Occupational voice users such as teachers, singers, and broadcasters have high vocal demands increasing the risk for developing voice disorders. Among occupational voice users, the literature has report gender differences in vocal doses as part of vocal demands. However, these differences have not been quantified.

Objective: To determine differences per gender on vocal doses among different groups of occupational voice users.

Methods: A systematic review of literature and meta-analysis were conducted on publications about vocal dose among occupational voice users. In total, 242 potential articles were found. After screening of titles and abstracts, 16 papers were included for full revision in the systematic review of literature. For the meta-analysis, 7 out of 16 papers were included.

Results: Females had higher phonation time percentage compared with males (mean difference = 1.44, p value = .16). Nevertheless, this difference was not statistically significant. Among call centre operators, there was no difference in time doses associated with gender. Sport teachers had high values in time dose percentage, dissipation, and radiated energies.

Conclusions: The meta-analysis shows variations in time doses, which could be associated with the vocal demand responses for females compared with males in occupational voice settings. Future investigations are required for establishing safe limits criteria for vocal doses, as well as vocal functioning in different working context.

Background: A previous study has indicated poorer narrative ability during retelling in 5-year-olds with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) as a group, compared to peers without UCLP.

Aim: To investigate if there are any differences between 5-year-olds with and without UCLP in narrative ability during retelling.

Methods: A total of 83 children participated, 51 with UCLP and 32 without. They had no known additional malformations or syndromes. The children were audio recorded while performing the Bus Story Test (BST). The recordings were orthographically transcribed. From the transcriptions the BST information score was calculated. The macrostructure of the narratives was assessed with the Narrative Scoring Scheme (NSS), and the microstructure with mean length of utterance in words, grammaticality, grammatical complexity and lexical diversity. Results for children with and without UCLP were compared.

Results: The group with UCLP performed better than the group without UCLP in the NSS sub-category Conclusion. No other significant differences were seen between the groups. The UCLP group had a larger standard deviation for the information score than the group without UCLP.

Conclusions: The group with UCLP displayed at least as good results as the group without UCLP, but the information score was more varied for the UCLP group than for the group without UCLP.

Purpose: Over a range roughly C5-C6, sopranos usually tune their first vocal tract resonance (R1) to the fundamental frequency (f_o) of the note sung: R1:f_o tuning. Those who sing well above C6 usually adjust their second vocal tract resonance (R2) and use R2:f_o tuning. This study investigated these questions: Can singers quickly learn R2:f_o tuning when given suitable feedback? Can they subsequently use this tuning without feedback? And finally, if so, does this assist their singing in the high range?

Methods: New computer software for the technique of resonance estimation by broadband excitation at the lips was used to provide real-time visual feedback on f_o and vocal tract resonances. Eight sopranos participated. In a one-hour session, they practised adjusting R2 whilst miming (i.e. without phonating), and then during singing.

Results: Six sopranos learned to tune R2 over a range of several semi-tones, when feedback was present. This achievement did not immediately extend their singing range. When the feedback was removed, two sopranos spontaneously used R2:f_o tuning at the top of their range above C6.

Conclusions: With only one hour of training, singers can learn to adjust their vocal tract shape for R2:f_o tuning when provided with visual feedback. One additional participant who spent considerable time with the software, acquired greater skill at R2:f_o tuning and was able to extend her singing range. A simple version of the hardware used can be assembled using basic equipment and the software is available online.

Objective: This study aimed to profile voice-related complaints, as well as vocal and nonvocal habits among Hindustani classical singers.

Method: Cross-sectional study design was used to profile voice-related complaints and vocal and nonvocal habits among Hindustani classical singers. Phase I involved developing a questionnaire for exploring vocal and nonvocal habits. Phase II involved the administration of the survey to 61 Hindustani classical singers.

Results: Based on the overall findings, 41% of singers reported of at least three vocal symptoms. The most common vocal symptoms included out of breath while singing, felling tired after singing and experiencing tension or tightness in neck/shoulder. The commonly reported vocal habits included excessive phone use, loud coughing/sneezing, throat clearing and excessive speaking. A high consumption of caffeinated beverages and spicy food were also reported.

Conclusion: This study helps to highlight the voice-related complaints and vocal and nonvocal habits of Hindustani classical singers. Further studies, need to explore the prevalence of voice problems incorporating other dimensions of voice evaluation such as acoustic, auditory perceptual, self-reported and laryngeal examination.

Introduction: To date, no valid outcome measure has been developed in European Portuguese (EP) to evaluate the Parkinsons' Disease (PD) patients' (PwP) reports regarding their swallowing disturbances.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Sialorrhea Clinical Scale for PD (SCS-PD) into EP and to determine its clinimetric properties in PwP.

Materials and methods: The original English SDQ and SCS-PD versions were cross-culturally adapted following recommendations established in international guidelines. The validation process involved 75 PwP and 65 healthy sex- and age-matched participants.

Results: The EP versions of the SDQ and SCS-PD are equivalent to the original versions (content, depth, and scoring). Statistical analyses for the SDQ tool revealed good feasibility (missing data <5%), acceptability (no floor or ceiling effects), excellent internal consistency (Cronbach´s α = 0.95), good construct validity (78.5% revealed large to moderate loadings), moderate convergent validity (r = 0.60), good divergent validity (r = 0.40), good known-groups validity (p-value < .05) and a fair sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.700). Statistical analyses for the SCS-PD tool shows good feasibility, reasonable acceptability (floor effect), good internal consistency (Cronbach´s α = 0.85), good construct validity (85.7% showed between large to moderate loadings), good convergent validity (r = 0.78), good divergent validity (r = 0.39), good known groups validity (p-value < .05) and a fair sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.704).

Conclusions: The EP versions of the SDQ and SCS-PD maintained the characteristics of the original versions and therefore consistent tools to be used in PwP.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine pain in patients with voice disorders (PWVDs).

Patients and methods: A total number of 28 patients with a range of voice disorders and without any other diseases participated in the study. To gain maximum variation, purposive sampling method was used. Moreover, semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection. The interviews were then continued until data saturation was reached, and the data were subsequently recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was utilized for data analysis.

Results: Data analysis of the interviews emerged three themes about pain experienced by PWVDs. The emerged themes included location of pain, type of pain, and time of pain occurrence. In this respect, PWVDs reported pain in different locations on their body including head, ears, anterior neck, posterior neck, larynx, temporomandibular joint, submandibular area, shoulders, and upper back. Furthermore, chronic, acute, severe, and mild were the most common types of pain reported by PWVDs. The PWVDs also stated that they had experienced pain at different times, i.e. during speaking, after long-time speaking, after voice use, during swallowing, during palpation, and all the time (even at rest).

Conclusions: One of the physical discomforts experienced by PWVDs is pain. According to the results of the present study, pain should properly be considered in the assessment and treatment of PWVDs in clinical practices. Also, our study suggested that a specific scale is needed to measure pain in voice disorders.