Relations Between Self-Regulation Behavior and Vocal Symptoms

Objectives: The study aimed to determine if people with vocal symptoms have different self-regulation aspects compared with vocally healthy people, and to evaluate the relationship between the number of vocal symptoms and self-regulation.

Study design: This is a cross-sectional, prospective, multicentric study.

Methods: Two hundred ninety-eight male and female adults who are nonprofessional voice users volunteered to participate in the study. The participants answered an online survey and two self-assessment instruments: the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) and the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ). Individuals were classified into two groups according to VoiSS cutoff value: a vocally healthy group (total score of 15 points or lower) and a vocal symptoms group (16 points and above). The subscales of the VoiSS (impairment, emotional, and physical) were compared with the subscales of the SSRQ (goal setting and impulse control).

Results: Subjects of the vocally healthy group scored differently from subjects with vocal symptoms both in goal setting and impulse control. The results from subjects with vocal symptoms are similar to individuals with addictive behaviors. A significant negative correlation was found between the SSRQ and the VoiSS scores, indicating a strong relationship between self-regulation and vocal symptoms. A relationship between impulsivity, lack of control, and difficulty in goal setting for specific behaviors was also noted. However, caution should be taken as this is an initial exploratory study using self-assessment questionnaires.

Conclusions: Subjects with vocal symptoms have a lower level of self-regulation compared to those without vocal symptoms. As the number of vocal symptoms increased, the impulse control and goal setting scores decreased.