Audio-perceptual evaluation of Portuguese voice disorders-an inter- and intrajudge reliability study.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this article was to describe the results of an audio-perceptual evaluation carried out by 10 judges, on a database comprising 90 voice recordings plus 10 samples repetition, with the purpose of characterizing the intra- and interrater reliability.

STUDY DESIGN

Exploratory, transversal.

METHODS

The classification of the GRBAS parameters was obtained for each one of the 10 experts, concerning the 90 voice samples. The intraclass correlation coefficient determined the interrater reliability. For the 10 repeated voices, the intrarater reliability was assessed by means of a dispersion analysis.

RESULTS

The average judges' classification for each of the GRBAS parameters differs (P < 0.05). The values of the correlations, with confidence intervals of 95%, between the average scores for all components of the GRBAS scale lie, in general, between 0.838 and 0.966. The first three parameters of the scale (G, R, and B) have the higher interrater reliability. Differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for experts 1, 6, 9, and 10, which means a poor intrarater reliability for 40% of the judges.

CONCLUSIONS

All the experts had similar evaluation criteria for the assessment of the five parameters of the GRBAS scale (the values of the confidence intervals at 95% of the experts average ratings of the GRB were above 0.8). However, its quantification is not statistically similar. Asthenia and Strain have lower reliability. Most experts do not reveal statistically significant differences between the values assigned to the GRB parameters (P > 0.05).