Adaptation and Validation of the Mandarin (Simplified) Chinese Version of the Voice Fatigue Handicap Questionnaire.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Mandarin (simplified) Chinese version of the Voice Fatigue Handicap Questionnaire (MC-VFHQ). A total of 358 participants were included from June 2020 to April 2021: 243 patients with voice disorders (patient group) and 115 vocally healthy individuals (control group). The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, clinical, sensitivity and specificity were analyzed, and the cutoff point was determined. The internal consistency of the MC-VFHQ was high, and the internal consistency assessed with Cronbach α coefficients for the subscale scores ranged from 0.821 to 0.983; the values for the total score were 0.952 and 0.943 in the patient and control group, respectively. Test-retest reliability was high for the total score (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.924) and the subscales (ICCs=0.969, 0.939, 0.922). The patient group had significantly higher total score, subscale scores, and item scores than the control group (P < 0.001). The cutoff point for screening between the two groups was 63.5, with a sensitivity of 84.8% and a specificity of 84.30%. The MC-VFHQ is a valid and reliable tool for identifying individuals with probable vocal fatigue. It has good reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity in the Mandarin Chinese-speaking population.