Preventing Dyspnea During Speech in Older Speakers

NCT ID: NCT05029986

Last Updated: 2022-06-29

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-09-15
• Study Completion Date: 2022-03-10

Brief Summary

Due to various comorbidities affecting the respiratory system, older speakers are at risk of experiencing breathing discomfort (dyspnea) during high-demand vocal activities such as singing, loud speaking, and speaking while exercising. Dyspnea during speech can promote avoidance of certain situations involving voice production, thus leading to vocal deconditioning and decreased quality of life. The goal of this pilot study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of a 4-week remote group intervention targeting phonatory dyspnea, and to gather preliminary efficacy data.

Participants will receive an intervention including a 2-week socialization phase (control condition) and a 4-week speech breathing intervention phase (experimental condition). Both phases will be delivered remotely and in a group setting (10 participants per group).

Conditions

Dyspnea

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

All participants

This is a single-arm trial. All participants will receive (1) a control condition (socialization phase, 2 weeks) and (2) an intervention condition (speech breathing intervention, 4 weeks). Group sessions will take place once a week, and participants will be instructed to practice their exercises every day at home during the study duration.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Socialization phase

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Control condition: does not involve speech-related exercises

Speech breathing intervention

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Experimental condition: involves speech-related exercises

Interventions

Socialization phase

Control condition: does not involve speech-related exercises

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Speech breathing intervention

Experimental condition: involves speech-related exercises

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• sign the informed consent form
• report dyspnea in at least one of the items of the University of Cincinnati Dyspnea Questionnaire referring to speech
• be available during the dates of the scheduled group interventions
• be aged 50 years or older

Exclusion Criteria

• do not have access to a computer and internet connection
• present with a known voice pathology (other than age-related vocal fold atrophy) and/or are receiving speech therapy at the time of the study
• have a known neurodegenerative disease affecting speech/voice
• are a current smoker
• are receiving pulmonary rehabilitation at the time of the study or are starting a new medication regimen for a respiratory disease at the time of study onset;
• have a hearing loss that is not adequately managed, as judged by the Principal Investigator (PI)
• have professional vocal training [amateur choir singers will not be excluded]
• cannot provide informed consent or easily follow instructions
• have any other condition that precludes them from participating in the behavioral interventions, as judged by the PI.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Delaware

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Maude Desjardins

Post-doctoral researcher

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

1767412

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id