The psychiatric and social characteristics of patients with functional dysphonia.
Of 121 consecutive outpatients seen in an ENT clinic who received a diagnosis of functional dysphonia, 71 who were referred to the speech therapy department were interviewed. Sixty one (86%) were women, and the mean age of the group was 47.6 yr. The commonest voice disorder was huskiness or hoarseness, and only five patients had a pure 'whispering' dysphonia. There was little evidence of major psychiatric disorder in the group: eight patients had a past psychiatric history; two had histrionic personality disorder, and 22 (33%) had clinically diagnosable mood disorders which were mainly anxiety/tension states. This descriptive study formed the background for an investigation of the psychosocial stressors preceding onset of functional dysphonia.
House
A
A
University Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Nottingham, U.K.
Andrews
H B
HB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*