Patient perceptions of voice therapy adherence

Abstract

Patient perspectives of behavioral voice therapy, including perspectives of treatment adherence, have not been formally documented. Because treatment adherence is, to a large extent, determined by patient beliefs, assessment of patient perspectives is integral to the study of adherence. Fifteen patients who had undergone at least two sessions of direct voice therapy for a variety of voice disorders/complaints were interviewed about their perspectives on voice therapy, with a particular focus on adherence. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for content according to qualitative methods. Three common content themes emerged from the transcripts: Voice Therapy is Hard, Make it Happen, and The Match Matters. Findings were compared with reports of patient experiences in other behavioral interventions, such as diet and exercise, and related to existing theoretical models of behavior change and therapeutic process. This study yields information toward the development of scales to measure adherence-related constructs and strategies to improve treatment adherence in voice therapy.