Effect of a short-term intensive voice therapy (Meerschman et al., 2019) MeerschmanIris ClaeysSofie BettensKim BruneelLaura D’haeseleerEvelien LierdeKristiane Van 2019 <div><div><b>Purpose: </b>The aim of this study was to compare the effectof a short-term intensive voice therapy (IVT) with a long-term traditional voice therapy (TVT) on the vocal quality, vocal capacities, psychosocial impact, vocal tract discomfort, laryngological anatomy/physiology, and session attendance of patients with dysphonia. An additional comparison was made between an individual IVT (IVT-I) and a group IVT (IVT-G).</div><div><b>Method: </b>A longitudinal, prospective controlled trial was used. Forty-six adults diagnosed with dysphonia were assigned to 1 of the 3 treatment groups. The IVT groups practiced with a frequency of 1 hr 20 min a day and a duration of 2 weeks. The TVT group practiced with a frequency of two 30-min sessions a week and a duration of 6 months. Both therapy programs were content-identical and guided by the same voice therapist. A multidimensional voice assessment consisting of both objective (maximum performance task, aerodynamic measurements, voice range profile, acoustic analysis, multiparametric voice quality indices) and subjective (subject’s self-report, auditory-perceptual evaluation, flexible videolaryngostroboscopy) outcomes was used to evaluate the participants’ voice.</div><div><b>Results:</b> IVT made an equal progress in only 2 weeks and 12 hr of therapy compared with TVT that needed 6 months and 24 hr of therapy. IVT-I and IVT-G showed comparable results. Session attendance was clearly higher in IVT compared with TVT. Long-term follow-up results (1 year) were positive for the 3 groups, except for the self-reported psychosocial impact that increased in the IVT-I group.</div><div><b>Conclusions:</b> Short-term IVT is at least equally effective in treating patients with dysphonia as long-term TVT. Group treatment seemed as effective as individual treatment. Attendance and cost-effectiveness are important advantages of IVT. A potential drawback might be an insufficient psychosocial progress. The golden mean between intensive and traditional treatment might therefore be an achievable, effective, and efficient solution for everyday clinical practice.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Supplemental Material S1. </b>Baseline voice-related symptoms, risk factors, vocal abuse, vocal load and lifestyle habits in the IVT-I, IVT-G, and TVT groups. </div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>Supplemental Material S2. </b>Evolution of the secondary outcome parameters pre- to post-therapy in the IVT-I, IVT-G, and TVT groups.</div><div><br></div><div>Meerschman, I., Claeys, S., Bettens, K., Bruneel, L., D'haeseleer, E., Van Lierde, K. (2019). Massed versus spaced practice in vocology: Effect of a short-term intensive voice therapy versus a long-term traditional voice therapy.<i> Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. </i>Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_JSLHR-S-18-0013</div></div>