Outcomes of a Community of Practice on Quebec Speech Language Pathologists' Voice Assessment Practices and Professional Identity

In a context where different protocols for recommended practices in clinical voice assessment exist, while there are gaps in the literature regarding the evidence base supporting assessment procedures and measures, clinicians from regions where a strong community holding expertise in clinical and scientific voice practices lack can struggle to confidently develop their voice assessment practices. In an effort to improve voice assessment practices and strengthen professional identity among speech-language pathologists in Quebec, Canada, a community of practice (CoP) was established, with the aim of promoting knowledge sharing, implementing change in clinical practice, and improving professional identity. Thirty-nine participants took part in the CoP activities conducted over a four-month period, including virtual meetings and in-person workshops. Participants had a high rate of attendance (> 74% participation rate in virtual meetings), and were highly satisfied with their participation and intended to remain involved after the project's end. Statistically significant changes in voice assessment practices were observed post-CoP, regarding probability of performing assessments (p < .001), and perceived importance of assessment for evaluative purposes (p <.001), as well as improvements in assessment specific confidence, specifically for procedure of auditory-perceptual assessment (p < .001) and purpose of aerodynamic assessment (p = .05). Moreover, there was an increase in professional identity post-CoP (p < .001) and participants felt they made significant learnings. The present study highlighted the need to involve SLPs in future research to identify assessments that are relevant to the specific evaluative objectives of SLPs working with voice, and suggests CoPs are an efficient tool for that purpose.

En un contexto en el que existen diferentes protocolos para las prácticas recomendadas en la evaluación vocal clínica, y en el que se presentan vacíos en la literatura respecto a la base de evidencia que respalda los procedimientos y medidas de evaluación, los profesionales de regiones donde no hay una comunidad sólida con experiencia en prácticas vocales clínicas y científicas pueden enfrentar dificultades para desarrollar con confianza sus prácticas de evaluación vocal. Con el propósito de mejorar las prácticas de evaluación vocal y fortalecer la identidad profesional entre los logopedas de Quebec, Canadá, se estableció una comunidad de práctica (CdP). Esta tenía como objetivo fomentar el intercambio de conocimientos, implementar cambios en la práctica clínica y mejorar la identidad profesional. Un total de treinta y nueve participantes se involucraron en las actividades de la CdP, llevadas a cabo durante un período de cuatro meses, que incluyeron reuniones virtuales y talleres presenciales. Los participantes tuvieron una alta tasa de asistencia (> 74% de participación en las reuniones virtuales) y expresaron un alto grado de satisfacción con su participación, manifestando su intención de continuar involucrados después de la finalización del proyecto. Se observaron cambios estadísticamente significativos en las prácticas de evaluación vocal posterior a la CdP, en lo que respecta a la probabilidad de llevar a cabo evaluaciones (p < .001) y la percepción de la importancia de la evaluación con fines evaluativos (p < .001), así como mejoras en la confianza específica en la evaluación, particularmente en el procedimiento de evaluación auditivo-perceptual (p < .001) y el propósito de la evaluación aerodinámica (p = .05). Además, se registró un aumento en la identidad profesional posterior a la CdP (p < .001) y los participantes sintieron que obtuvieron aprendizajes significativos. El presente estudio destacó la necesidad de involucrar a los logopedas en investigaciones futuras, para identificar evaluaciones pertinentes a los objetivos evaluativos específicos de los logopedas que trabajan con la voz, y sugiere que las CdP son una herramienta eficiente con ese propósito.

Sintomas vocais na população pediátrica: Validação da versão brasileira do Questionário de Sintomas Vocais Pediátrico / Vocal symptoms in pediatric population: Validation of the Brazilian version of the Pediatric Vocal Symptoms Questionnaire

ResumoObjetivo: Validar o Questionário de Sintomas Vocais Pediátrico (QSV-P) para o português brasileiro. Método Aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética (758.309). Participaram desta pesquisa 716 indivíduos, dos quais 367 eram crianças e adolescentes, com e sem alteração vocal, entre 6 e 18 anos, e 349 eram pais/responsáveis, que responderam à versão final do instrumento. Entre os respondentes dessa versão, 272 participaram do teste-reteste, e 32, da sensibilidade. As crianças e os adolescentes entre 6 e 18 anos responderam à versão de autoavaliação do QSV-P, e seus pais/responsáveis, à versão parental do QSV-P. Resultados O QSV-P apresentou confiabilidade e reprodutibilidade aceitáveis para a população brasileira e sensibilidade ao tratamento vocal. Conclusão O QSV-P foi validado para o português brasileiro, sendo um bom instrumento de autoavaliação vocal, tanto na versão parental quanto na versão autoavaliativa.

Abstract Purpose To validate the Pediatric Vocal Symptoms Questionnaire (PVSQ) for Brazilian Portuguese. Methods The study was approved by the Ethics Committee (758,309). A total of 716 individuals participated in this research, of which 367 were children and adolescents, with and without vocal alteration, aged 6-18 years, and 349 were parents/guardians, who responded to the final version of the instrument. Among the interviewed of this version, 272 participated in the test-retest, and 32, of the sensitivity. Children and adolescents aged 6-18 years responded to the self-evaluation version of the PVSQ, and their parents/guardians to its parental version. Results The PVSQ showed acceptable reliability and reproducibility for the Brazilian population and sensitivity to vocal treatment. Conclusion The PVSQ was validated for Brazilian Portuguese, being a good instrument of vocal self-evaluation, both in the parental version and in the self-evaluation version.

Equivalência cultural da versão brasileira do Questionnaire des Symptômes Vocaux / Cross-cultural adaptation of the Brazilian version of the 'Questionnaire Des Symptômes Vocaux'

RESUMO Objetivo Realizar a equivalência cultural brasileira do Questionnaire des Symptômes Vocaux (QSV). Métodos O questionário foi traduzido para a língua portuguesa por duas fonoaudiólogas brasileiras bilíngues, cientes do objetivo da pesquisa. A retrotradução foi efetuada por uma terceira fonoaudióloga brasileira, bilíngue e professora de francês, não participante da etapa anterior. Depois da comparação das traduções e adequações necessárias nos termos e expressões, produziu-se uma única versão denominada Questionário de Sintomas Vocais Pediátrico (QSV-P), que foi aplicado a 32 indivíduos (16 crianças/adolescentes com queixa vocal e seus respectivos pais). Adotou-se como critério de inclusão a presença de queixa vocal (parental ou autorrelatada) e/ou a presença de desvio vocal na avaliação perceptivoauditiva da qualidade vocal. A opção “não aplicável” foi acrescentada na chave de resposta de todas as perguntas do QSV-P. Resultados No processo de tradução e adaptação cultural, não houve modificação e/ou eliminação de nenhuma das questões. O QSV-P reflete a versão original do francês, composto por 31 questões objetivas, aplicável a crianças/adolescentes entre 6 e 18 anos e a seus respectivos pais/responsáveis que visam investigar questões físicas, emocionais e sociofuncionais da alteração vocal. Conclusão O Questionnaire des Symptômes Vocaux apresentou equivalência cultural para o português brasileiro na versão intitulada Questionário de Sintomas Vocais Pediátrico. O processo de validação do QSV-P está em andamento.

ABSTRACT Purpose This article aims to present the cultural equivalence of the Brazilian version of the ‘Questionnaire des Symptômes Vocaux’ (QSV). Methods The questionnaire was translated into Portuguese by two Brazilian bilingual speech-language pathologists who were informed about the purpose of this research. The back translation was performed by a third bilingual Brazilian speech-language pathologist, who was also a French teacher and had not participated in the previous stage. After the comparison of translations, a final version of the questionnaire was produced and called ‘Questionário de Sintomas Vocais Pediátrico (QSV-P)’, which was administered to 32 individuals (16 children/adolescents with vocal complaints and their parents). The inclusion criterion was the vocal complaint and/or vocal quality altered on the perceptual auditory evaluation. The option “not applicable” was added to each item of the protocol. Results During the process of translation and cultural adaptation, no item was changed and/or eliminated from the questions. The QSV-P kept the same structure as the original French version with 31 questions, which can be responded by children/adolescents (6-18 years) and their parents, regarding the physical, emotional and social functioning of the vocal problem. Conclusion The cultural equivalence of the Brazilian version of the ‘Questionnaire des Symptômes Vocaux’, entitled ‘Questionário de Sintomas Vocais Pediátrico’, was demonstrated. The QSV-P validation is currently being done.