Validity and Reliability of the Turkish SingingVoice Handicap Index-10

To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Singing Voice Handicap Index-10 (SVHI-10).

Cross-sectional study.

Two hundred singers consisting of a control group (n = 136) without voice complaints and a study group (n = 64) diagnosed with a voice disorder served as participants. To detect test-retest reliability, 97 participants (representing a portion of both the control and study group participants) completed the index twice with a minimum of a one-week interval between each completion. Internal consistency was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. To complete a clinical validity assessment, scores from the control group participants were compared with scores from the study group participants. To determine content validity, the correlation between the SVHI-10 and the participants' perceptions of singing voice complaints was researched. The sensitivity and specificity of the SVHI-10/Turkish version were calculated using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which was equal to 0.91, proved to have excellent internal consistency. Item-total correlations were found in the range of 0.55 to 0.76. The mean SVHI-10/Turkish score for the control group was 8.14 ± 5.4, whereas this value was significantly higher in the study group (20.54 ± 6.9, P < 0.001). The Pearson product-moment correlation test indicated that the Turkish SVHI-10 is a reliable tool (r = 0.90, n = 97, P < 0.001). The area under curve of the Turkish SVHI-10 was 0.95. The optimal cut-off point was found to be 11.5, with a sensitivity of 95.8% and a specificity of 83.2%.

The Turkish version of the SVHI-10 has proven to be a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating the self-perception of a singer in relation to voice problems. It can also be used as a quick screening tool because a score on the SVHI-10 higher than 11.5 is indicative of an abnormal singer's perceived voice handicap.