The Interoception in Voice Scale

Emerging evidence suggests that interoception-the perception and interpretation of internal bodily signals-may play a role in voice perception and voice disorders; however, no self-report measure currently assesses interoception specifically in relation to voice processing. The present research aimed to develop and validate the Interoception in Voice Scale (IVS), a self-report measure designed to capture awareness of bodily cues related to voice production and perception. In total, 33 novel items were developed by drawing on existing interoceptive measures and expert input from speech and language specialists. In Study 1 (N = 584), exploratory factor analysis indicated a 19-item scale with four interpretable factors: Emotional Voice Awareness, Physical Voice Awareness, Voice-related Concern, and Voice-related Attention. These factors demonstrated good-to-excellent internal consistency (ω = .84-.91). In Study 2 (N = 320), confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure, demonstrating acceptable model fit. Correlational analyses supported construct validity through meaningful associations with dimensions of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2), and Voice-related Concern was consistently associated with self-perceived voice handicap. Together, the findings support the composite reliability and construct validity of the IVS. The scale provides a tool for investigating the role of interoception in voice perception and may be useful for future research and for speech and language therapists engaged in clinical work involving voice disorders. The survey and scoring instructions are available here: https://jswlab.co.uk/IVS.