Ferdinando di Corrado

A.O.R. San Carlo, Italy

Title: Children Voice Handicap Index (Cvhi-10) - Pediatric Voice Symptom Questionnaire (Pvsq): A Comparison Of Two Pediatric Voice Self-Assessment Questionnaires"

Time:

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Biography

Research Intrest

Abstract

Objectives/hypothesis: The main core of this study is a comparison between two paediatric voice self-assessment questionnaires: the Children Voice Handicap Index (CVHI-10) and the Pediatric Voice Symptom Questionnaire (PVSQ).

This comparison should not be understood as a way to determine the best questionnaire, in fact the objectives of the study are two: the first is to evaluate the practicality and applicability of the same in a school setting while the second is to identify and analyze strengths and/or weaknesses of both.

Study design: Cross-sectional survey study.

Methods: After a brief introduction on the anatomy and physiology of the voice, using age-appropriate play material, the two self-assessment questionnaires CVHI-10 and PVSQ were administered to a sample of 112 elementary school children in grades 3, 4 and 5 and their parents. All data are reported on excel.

Results: The first finding that jumps out is that, with the exception of a few isolated cases, the totality of the discrepancies in the parent/child response in both questionnaires turn out to be in favor of the child, i.e., the parent underestimates or does not perceive that aspect in their child's voice. This further confirms what has been said in the previously mentioned studies, that is, how important the child's point of view is in evaluating his or her own voice.

The average discrepancy in the responses between parent/child of both the CVHI (-9.06%) with associated estimated Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.83, and the PVSQ (-7.83%) with associated estimated Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.88 was also calculated. Because of these results, we can say that the more number of questions and consequently the longer time taken to compile the PVSQ does not necessarily demonstrate better accuracy in detecting certain aspects in the child's voice. This aspect needs further study to confirm the above.

Conclusions: CVHI-10 has proven to be an excellent tool for self-assessment of voice in children, despite its rapidity in compilation and practicality in use