Outcomes of Eclectic Voice Therapy Program in the Treatment of Hyperfunctional Voice Disorders: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the treatment effects of an eclectic voice therapy (EVT) program consisting of individualized vocal hygiene education, breath support exercises, use of voice with forward focus, and laryngeal manual therapy in the management of individuals with Hyperfunctional voice disorders (HFVD). The study was based on hypotheses that EVT program would improve voice quality in individuals with HFVD. Single-subject, prospective, time-series design was used to investigate this hypothesis. Five individuals diagnosed to have HFVD by a team of Laryngologist and Speech Language Pathologist were considered for the study. A trained SLP provided an average of 10 sessions (each of 40 minutes duration) of voice therapy to all the participants with emphasis on vocal hygiene education and optimization of each of the subsystems of voice production. Objective measurement of voice quality using Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) served as outcome measure. DSI measures were obtained before commencing EVT program and after completion of every two sessions of therapy to track the changes. Results indicated marked increase DSI scores following EVT program. Positive effects of the EVT program can be attributed to the vocal awareness, optimization of each of the subsystems of voice production and the enhancement of balance among them. Result of this pilot study supports use of EVT as an approach in the treatment of HFVD.