Voice Handicap Index – VHI
Measures the biopsychosocial impact of voice disorders on a patient's life across functional, physical, and emotional domains.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Voice Handicap Index – VHI was developed by Jacobson, B. H., Johnson, A., Grywalski, C., Silbergleit, A., Jacobson, G., Benninger, M. S., & Newman, C. W. (1997). It is designed to measure Voice handicap. The scale is intended for use with Adults with voice disorders.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 30 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Functional, Physical, Emotional.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Functional | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 | 10 |
| Physical | 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 | 10 |
| Emotional | 21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30 | 10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = never, 1 = almost never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = almost always, 4 = always.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 120. Interpretation guidelines:
- Mild voice handicap: 0 – 30
- Moderate voice handicap: 31 – 60
- Severe voice handicap: 61 – 120
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.90).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.