Type-D personality, psychosomatic symptoms and voice handicap in female voice patients: A perspective on vocal communication

Abstract Objectives: The association between vocal communication and personality was studied in 82 female voice patients with a mean age of the 39.3 years (range 18–65 years). Study design: The relation between type-D personality (Type-D Scale-16), psychosomatic symptoms (Symptom Check List–90) and the biopsychosocial impact of the voice problem (Voice Handicap Index) was assessed. Results: The findings indicate that type-D voice patients are relatively more handicapped by their voice problem, predominantly in the emotional domain, and have a relatively higher level of psychosomatic symptoms compared to non-type-D patients. Conclusions: Apparently, the well-being of females with a voice problem is more at risk in type-D than in non-type-D personalities. These results lead to the suspicion that voice patients with a type-D personality are especially at risk because they are prone to be involved in a circular negatively reinforcing process. This process influences the vocal problem in such a way that a detrimental course of vocal communication possibly occurs.