Voice Therapy for Teachers With Voice Problems

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The study compares two different forms of voice therapy, Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy and Casper-Based Confidential Flow Therapy. The target population are teachers because they have the highest risk for developing voice problems. For this study the investigators are primarily interested in seeing if Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy (LMRVT) and Casper-Based Confidential Flow Therapy (CBCFT) are equally effective at improving vocal functioning in teachers with phonotrauma, as assessed by the Voice Handicap Index (VHI).

Official Title
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Efficacy of Voice Therapy for Phonotrauma in Teachers

Conditions
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Phonotrauma

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy
* Behavioral: Casper-Based Confidential Flow Therapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Full or part time teacher including college professor, daycare and preschool 21 years of age and older Complaints of voice problems declared to be lasting continuously for one month or more Any structural or functional change to the larynx that appears related to phonation,including bilateral or unilateral lesions (assuming normal overlying epithelium based on clinical examination), non-specific edema, or erythema that appear by clinical history related to phonation, or primary muscle tension dysphonia or other condition related to phonation without lesions No concurrent ear, nose and/or throat diagnoses, e.g. acute allergies, except for chronic allergies, sinusitis, and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPR) No vocal fold hemorrhage No known degenerative medical conditions (e.g., degenerative neuromuscular disease, malignant process undergoing treatment or with less than 5 years remission, uncontrolled systemic disease (e.g., auto immune disease, or hormonal condition) Normal hearing to 30 dB at 1000Hz - 3000Hz in the better ear The participant is able to start therapy within 6 weeks of the initial evaluation and can be scheduled for 8 sessions (two per visit) in a 6-week time period Agreement by the participant to provide information regarding days missed from work during the previous year and the year following treatment Exclusion Criteria: Known degenerative medical condition Concurrent ear-nose-throat diagnosis, e.g., acute allergies (but chronic allergies, sinusitis, and laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPR) are not exclusion criteria) and vocal fold hemorrhage Degenerative medical conditions that would exclude a participant from participation include, but are not limited to: degenerative neuromuscular disease, malignant process undergoing treatment or with less than 5 years remission, uncontrolled systemic disease (e.g. auto immune disease), or hormonal condition.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: A<br>Patients are enrolled in Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy. | Behavioral: Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy<br>* Patients receive 8 sessions of therapy over a course of 4 weeks, with one double session per week.<br>|
| Experimental: B<br>Patients are enrolled in Casper Based Confidential Flow Therapy. | Behavioral: Casper-Based Confidential Flow Therapy<br>* Patients receive 8 sessions of therapy over a course of 4 weeks, with one double session per week.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score on Voice Handicap Index (VHI) |  | one year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Does LMRVT contribute to the actual acquisition of resonant voice in speech? |  | one year | 
| Do LMRVT or CBCFT improve laryngeal appearance? |  | one year | 
| Do LMRVT or CBCFT improve conversational voice quality? |  | one year | 
| Do LMRVT or CBCFT reduce the occurrence of laryngeal microsurgery? |  | one year | 
| Do LMRVT or CBCFT reduce the number of workdays lost annually? |  | one year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Voice Problems, Voice Disorders