Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Validity, and Reliability of the Dysphonia Risk Screening Protocol-General for...

Screening is a critical first step in the early identification and prevention of voice disorders, particularly among at-risk populations. The Dysphonia Risk Screening Protocol-General (DRSP-G) is a comprehensive screening tool that also functions as a standardized patient history; however, no equivalent instrument has previously been available for Turkish-speaking individuals. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the DRSP-G into Turkish (DRTP-TR) and to examine its validity and reliability.

The DRSP-G was translated following the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Medical Outcomes Trust (SAC) guidelines, which comprise forward and backward translation, expert review, and a pilot study. A total of 140 participants (70 dysphonic, 70 healthy) across three groups: women, men, and children completed the DRSP-G. Validity was assessed using known-groups comparisons and correlations with the Voice Handicap Index, Pediatric Voice Handicap Index, auditory-perceptual (GRBAS) ratings, and acoustic measures. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine cutoff scores. Reliability was evaluated via test-retest and inter-rater analyses.

DRTP-TR scores significantly differentiated dysphonic from healthy participants across all groups (p < 0.001). The DRTP-TR demonstrated excellent discriminatory power in women (AUC = 0.96) and children (AUC = 1.00), and very good discriminatory power in men (AUC = 0.85). Cutoff scores were 39, 32.5, and 19.5 for women, men, and children, respectively. Test-retest reliability was strong (r = 0.95).

The DRTP-TR is a valid and reliable screening instrument for dysphonia risk among Turkish-speaking individuals across age and gender groups.