Disease-Specific Self-Efficacy in Spasmodic Dysphonia Patients

ObjectiveSelf-efficacy (SE) is an optimistic self-belief that one can perform a novel task. This concept involves empowerment, self-esteem, and adaptation to a stressful situation. SE is a strong predictor of health behaviors. Our objectives were to study SE in spasmodic dysphonia (SD) and to develop a disease-specific SE-SD scale.Study DesignProspective study.SettingAcademic hospital.Subject and MethodsDisease-specific SE-SD items were developed with laryngologists, speech pathologists, and SD patients. These items, General SE Scale, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), Consensus Auditory Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), were administered to SD patients who presented for botulinum toxin injections.ResultsOne hundred forty-five SD patients (mean age 59.5 ± 13.6 years) had a general SE score (Cronbach’s α = 0.894) of 33.4 ± 5.2 out of 40. This was negatively correlated with HADS-A (r = −0.42, P < 0.001) and HADS-D (r = −0.42, P < .001), but not correla...