title: Vocal Function Exercises for Muscle Tension Dysphonia: Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation and Self-Assessment Rating.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a functional dysphonia, which appears with an excessive tension in the intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal musculatures. MTD can affect voice quality and quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of vocal function exercises (VFEs) on perceptual and self-assessment ratings in a group of 15 subjects with MTD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 15 subjects with MTD (8 men and 7 women, mean age 39.8 years, standard deviation 10.6, age range 24-62 years). All participants were native Persian speakers who underwent a 6-week course of VFEs. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) (the self-assessment scale) and Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain (GRBAS) scale (perceptual rating of voice quality) were used to compare pre- and post-VFEs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GRBAS data of patients before and after VFEs were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and VHI data of patients pre- and post-VFEs were compared using Student paired t test. These perceptual parameters showed a statistically significant improvement in subjects with MTD after voice therapy (significant at P < 0.05 (*) and P < 0.004 (**)). Also results indicated statistically noticeable reduction in the mean VHI scores across subjects with MTD (significant at P < 0.05 (*) and P < 0.004 (**)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant improvement after therapy for participants has been observed by the aid of auditory-perceptual ratings of voice quality (with the GRBAS scale) and the patient's self-assessment ratings measurements (with the VHI). As a result, the data provide evidence regarding the efficacy of VFEs in the treatment of patients with MTD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: vosalehi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear, Nose, Throat, Head and Neck Research Center, Hazrat-e-Rasoul Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Izadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talebian Moghadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebadi
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Payman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dabirmoghadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech and Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation Science, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faham
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahbazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000628:therapy*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: GRBAS; Muscle tension dysphonia; Perceptual evaluation; VHI; Vocal function exercises