Overview

There is a substantial need to identify objective measures associated with hyperadduction of the vocal folds to recognize those at higher risk of developing phonotrauma so that risk mitigation strategies can be implemented before phonotrauma develops. The overall objective of this proposed project is to investigate the sensitivity and direction of change in cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and the magnitude difference between the first two harmonics of the voice spectrum (H1-H2) in response to varied phonation patterns, which will be addressed using the following two aims:

Aim 1: Determine how CPP and H1-H2 change as a function of using pressed voice production in individuals without laryngeal pathology.

Aim 2: Examine the sensitivity (minimally detectable change) and responsiveness (minimal clinically important difference) of CPP and H1-H2 to detect changes in different voice production conditions.

Eligibility

Control Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 18-65 years of age (to avoid confounding physiological factors related to puberty or presbyphonia)
2. No history of or current voice disorder
3. Auditory perceptual presentation globally within functional limits (as determined by a voice specialized SLP).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Atypical auditory-perceptual voice presentation
2. History of voice disorder or laryngeal surgery.

Patient Group:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosed with phonotrauma (i.e., vocal fold nodules, vocal fold polyp, vocal fold pseudocyst, mid-fold edema) by a laryngologist.
2. 18-65 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis of voice disorder not related to phonotrauma (e.g., vocal fold immobility, laryngeal dystonia, primary muscle tension dysphonia, etc.)
2. Previous history of laryngeal surgery or voice therapy (to avoid confounding effects of previous treatment).