Voice-Related Quality of Life in Early Adolescents: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study

Adolescent voice changes can affect self-identity, psychosocial well-being, and overall quality of life, sometimes resulting in social withdrawal and communication challenges. While adaptations of the Voice Handicap Index, such as the Pediatric VHI and CVHI-10, exist for younger populations, research on the applicability of the original VHI in adolescents remains limited. The present study evaluates the VHI in individuals aged 11-15 years by providing normative data, exploring age and gender variations, and comparing scores between adolescents with and without self-perceived pubertal voice changes.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 adolescents (11-15 years) recruited from schools in South India. After excluding clinically evident laryngeal pathology, eligible participants completed demographic profiling and VHI. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were performed.

Total VHI scores ranged from 0 to 65 (mean 17.6 ± 17.4), with most participants reporting minimal handicap. A small subgroup of adolescents reporting self-perceived pubertal voice change (n=4) had higher mean scores (35.3 ± 13.7) than their peers (16.7 ± 17.2). Differences by age group and sex were not statistically significant. Across the cohort, functional (6.6 ± 6.6) and physical (6.5 ± 6.1) subscales were more affected than the emotional domain (4.3 ± 5.7).

This preliminary study provides self-reported VHI values in early adolescents, indicating generally mild handicap in healthy individuals but higher perceived impact among those with self-perceived pubertal voice change. While based on a small symptomatic subgroup, the findings offer early insights that can guide future multicenter studies and the development of adolescent-appropriate validated tools.