title: Auditory-perceptual analysis of voice in abused children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abused children and adolescents are exposed to factors that can trigger vocal changes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of vocal changes in abused children and adolescents, through auditory-perceptual analysis of voice and the study of the association between vocal changes, communication disorders, psychiatric disorders, and global functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational and transversal study of 136 children and adolescents (mean age 10.2 years, 78 male) who were assessed by a multidisciplinary team specializing in abused populations. Speech evaluation was performed (involving the aspects of oral and written communication, as well as auditory-perceptual analysis of voice, through the GRBASI scale). Psychiatric diagnosis was performed in accordance with the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and by applying the K-SADS; global functioning was evaluated by means of the C-GAS scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of vocal change was 67.6%; of the patients with vocal changes, 92.3% had other communication disorders. Voice changes were associated with a loss of seven points in global functioning, and there was no association between vocal changes and psychiatric diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of vocal change was greater than that observed in the general population, with significant associations with communication disorders and global functioning. The results demonstrate that the situations these children experience can intensify the triggering of abusive vocal behaviors and consequently, of vocal changes.
authors.affiliation: Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: stivanin@usp.br.
authors.forename: Luciene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stivanin
authors.affiliation: Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Pontes dos
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Christian César Cândido de
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bernardo dos
authors.initials: Bd
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone Tozzini
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (FM-USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scivoletto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001307:Auditory Perception; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Child abuse; Child health; Communication disorders; Maus tratos infantis; Saúde infantil; Transtornos da comunicação; Voice; Voz