Collaboration in Voice Therapy: Development of a Vocal Health Daily Tracking Form

What is already known on this subject Voice disorders are major health issues that negatively affect individuals' communication abilities and quality of life (Cohen et al., 2006). These disorders may arise due to organic, neurological, or functional causes and may lead to abnormal changes in voice quality, pitch height, or intensity (Behrman, 2007). Voice therapy and various treatment methods, including vocal hygiene education and training, play an important role in the rehabilitation processes of individuals with voice disorders (Garabet et al., 2024). Homework assigned during the therapy process, including vocal exercises and hygiene practices, is of critical importance in increasing the effectiveness of the treatment (Desjardins et al., 2017). What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This study aimed to develop and validate a reliable and practical self-report tool, the Vocal Health Daily Tracking Form, to monitor patients' daily compliance with vocal hygiene practices and home-based voice therapy exercises during voice rehabilitation. With that aim, the Vocal Health Daily Tracking Form was developed to allow patients to record their daily engagement with voice hygiene practices and vocal exercises. The validity and reliability of this new form were also evaluated. This study has presented the validity and reliability analysis of a voice monitoring form developed to increase patients' compliance with voice therapy. Steady compliance with vocal hygiene and prescribed exercises conducted at home significantly affects treatment results, and the voice monitoring form proposed in this study was shown to have high validity (KMO = 0.799, p < 0.001) and reliability, indicating that it can be considered an important tool for monitoring daily practices that affect the outcomes of therapy processes. What are the potential or actual clinical implications for this work? This study is expected to serve as guidance for future research and clinical practices addressing patient compliance and behavioural management throughout the course of voice therapy.