Objective: The CAPE-V and CAPE-Vr protocols feature some tasks that are clearly not appropriate for young children (i.e., reading sentences). To introduce greater standardization among evaluations of pediatric voice, we plan to develop a specific protocol for auditory-perceptual assessment of voice in children under age 8 (i.e., with limited literacy). As a first step, we are interviewing pediatric voice clinicians about the components of their current voice evaluation protocol and what they would change about the protocol if they could.
Methods/Design: This is a qualitative study. We are conducting semi-structured interviews of at least ten clinicians with at least three years of current pediatric voice assessment and treatment. The main focus of this study is auditory-perceptual evaluation, but initial and potential follow up prompts include:
1. Please describe your current protocol for evaluating pediatric voice. What specific tasks do you use and what measures do you get from them?
a. How do you evaluate auditory-perceptual characteristics of voice?
2. Tell me about a time that you needed to change the protocol to suit a particular child. What did you have to change and why?
3. What would you change about your current protocol if you could?
a. What would you include in a standard voice evaluation protocol for children under 8 years of age?
b. How might that be different for children who can read?
i. Would you use the CAPE-V/CAPE-Vr or another adult-focused protocol?
Potential interview candidates have been identified by the authors and key informants (i.e., non-participating voice clinicians), who will direct the researcher to interested candidates who also meet inclusion criteria. For this study, data specific to auditory-perceptual evaluation will be analyzed using the method of constant comparison, which involves continuous review of similarities and differences in the data. Transcripts will be independently coded and discrepancies in coding will be discussed until agreement is reached. Themes will be developed from these codes via consensus.
Results: Data collection is ongoing.
Conclusions: Input from voice clinicians who actively work with children is essential to creating and implementing a standard protocol for auditory-perceptual evaluation of pediatric voice.