Voice-related Outcomes in Response to Intensive Versus Traditional Therapy Programs

The goal of voice therapy is optimal long-term vocal quality and communication function with minimal recurrence. Traditional voice therapy for dysphonia typically consists of one to two therapy sessions each week with a single clinician for about 8 weeks. Another approach of voice therapy is intensive short-term therapy also known as "boot camp." This approach, borrows from the disciplines of neurobiology, exercise physiology, motor learning, and psychotherapy which describe desirable learning and behavior changes influenced by practice that involves high-intensity overload, variability, and specificity of training. A few studies have showed that "Boot Camp" model of intensive therapy resulted in comparable gains in voice quality and vibratory mechanics and may promote better patient satisfaction and attendance.

While such findings support the notion that intensive voice therapy may enhance voice therapy outcomes, no study to date has examined patient response to the "Boot Camp" approach to voice therapy. The investigators will compare the outcomes of traditional, weekly voice therapy and intensive voice therapy with multiple sessions in one day.