Relation Between Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V)

Objectives. This study aims to conduct a relationship survey between subjective voice assessment (the Persian version of consensus auditory perceptual evaluation of voice (called ATSHA)) and the Dysphonia Severity index (DSI). Study Design. Cross-sectional, methodological study. Methods. Our sample included 144 adults; 48 patients with different voice disorders and 96 volunteers without voice disorders, hearing complaints or any auditory-perceptual voice disorders. The vocal tasks included in the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) and the DSI were performed and recorded. We used subjective and objective assessments to investigate the correlation between the CAPE-V perceptual-auditory assessment parameters and the DSI. Finally, through using the univariate-linear regression and other statistical analyses, we examined the correlation and prediction value of subjective assessment by the DSI. Results. The result of correlation of the total DSI value and individual items with the CAPE-V parameters demonstrated the strongest correlation between the DSI and breathiness (R = 0/563) in the second sentence of the CAPE-V scale, and the weakest correlation between the DSI and overall severity (R = 0/202) in the sixth sentence. The results of the univariate linear regression model indicated that the highest predictive power was obtained for the DSI and breathiness (R-2 = 0/427) in the sixth sentence in the dysphonic group, while the lowest predictive power was found for low intensity and strain (R-2 = 0/025) in the connected speech in the control group. Conclusion. This study found a significant relationship between the target objective and subjective voice assessment scales in most parameters. Furthermore, the findings of the current study show that the DSI scale, as an objective tool, can predict some auditory-perceptual parameters.