The Effects of Self-Esteem, Coping, and Voice-Related Quality of Life on Communicative Participation Before and After BOTOX® Treatment for Spasmodic Dysphonia.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to (1) investigate the percent change in communicative participation in individuals with spasmodic dysphonia (SD) pre- and post-BOTOX® treatment; and (2) to investigate if percent change in communicative participation is predicted by change in self-esteem, coping, and/or Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) pre- and post-BOTOX® treatment.

STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 49 patients was conducted across three clinics, with each participant completing the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Voice Disability Coping Questionnaire (VDCQ), the V-RQOL instrument, and the Communication Participation Item Bank (CPIB) before BOTOX® treatment and 10-14 days following BOTOX® treatment.

DATA ANALYSIS

For Research Question 1, a paired t test was applied to test the equality of means for CPIB and to test the pre-post changes among other composite measurements before and after the BOTOX® treatment. For Research Question 2, a multivariable linear regression model was applied with percent change in CPIB as a main outcome, and change in Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, VDCQ, and the V-RQOL as independent variables (or covariates) in order to test the associations.

RESULTS

The results indicated that pre- and post-BOTOX® measures of communicative participation are not statistically significantly different among the participants with SD. There was a strong positive correlation between change in coping and voice-related QOL.

CONCLUSIONS

A better understanding of the relationship between communicative participation and voice-related QOL is warranted. Item analysis of the V-RQOL and the VDCQ may illustrate coping strategies and functional impairments and provide further information regarding highly variable communicative participation among individuals with SD.