Deconstructing Voice Therapy: Towards Enhanced Communication Outcomes
This research study aims to evaluate the effect of treatment delivery method on voice outcomes over 12 months in people with a primary complaint of a voice problem, diagnosed with either non-phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction, also known as primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) or phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction, also known as benign vocal fold lesions (lesions). The secondary objectives are: * To evaluate acoustic correlates of clear speech and the relationship to vocal acoustic and patient-reported voice outcomes. * To determine the association between overall dysphonia outcomes and adoption of clear speech.
• Non-smoking
• Diagnosis of either primary muscle tension dysphonia of the hyperadducted type or benign vocal fold lesions.
• No neuro-laryngologic or age-related vocal fold changes (e.g., atrophy)
• No history of voice therapy or voice surgery in the last year
• No history of other serious chronic medical conditions that may affect voice (per patient report), Normal hearing (determined by pure tone audiometry), stimulable and appropriate for behavioral voice intervention as determined by a voice-specialized speech-language pathologist and laryngologist,
• Willingness to attend all therapeutic interventions and follow-up sessions
• Willingness to use a smartphone to record practice