[Singing Voice Handicap Index-12 : Development and validation of a German version].

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Speech and Language Pathology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) is a 36-item self-assessment tool for voice disorders in singers.
• A validated German version of the SVHI has been available since 2013.
• This study aimed to develop a shortened German version of the SVHI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a brief, reliable, and valid German version of the Singing Voice Handicap Index.
• To reduce the assessment time for singers experiencing voice disorders.
• To provide an effective screening tool for vocal health in German-speaking singers.

Main Methods:

• Item analysis and selection were performed on bicentric data from 200 patients.
• 12 items were chosen based on corrected item-total correlations to form the SVHI-12.
• Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed in 97 patients and 105 controls.

Main Results:

• The SVHI-12 demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.88).
• Patients reported significantly higher scores (18 ± 13) than healthy controls (7 ± 6).
• The SVHI-12 showed high sensitivity (81%) and specificity (71%) in detecting voice disorders, with a threshold score of >7 points.

Conclusions:

• The shortened SVHI-12 possesses comparable psychometric properties to the original SVHI.
• The SVHI-12 is a valid and effective instrument for identifying singing voice disorders in German-speaking regions.
• This abridged version facilitates efficient self-assessment of vocal health for singers.