Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Turkish Version of the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE-TR)

Merve Öğülmüş Uysal; Fatma Esen Aydinli; Önal İncebay; Özlem Beşik Topçu; Ümit Daşdöğen

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.10.016

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Turkish Version of the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE-TR)

J Voice. 2024 Nov 22:S0892-1997(24)00358-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.10.016. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Merve Öğülmüş Uysal¹, Fatma Esen Aydinli², Önal İncebay³, Özlem Beşik Topçu⁴, Ümit Daşdöğen⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Faculty of Health Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L Levy Place - Box 1189, New York, New York 10029. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39580357
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.10.016

Abstract

Objectives: The Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) is used to assess the singer's perceptions of the current singing voice status. The purpose of this research was to culturally adapt the Turkish version of the EASE (EASE-TR) and investigate its validity and reliability.

Methods: According to the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research recommendations, the original version of the EASE was translated and culturally adapted into Turkish. One hundred amateur or professional choir members completed the EASE-TR and the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) before and after the singing performance. EASE-TR scores before and after performance were compared for construct validity. "Known Groups Validity" was used according to variables of singing experience, voice training status, and current voice complaints. As part of the criterion validity assessment, the correlation between the after-performance EASE-TR scores and the VTDS scores was evaluated. Cronbach's alpha was calculated for internal consistency. EASE-TR was applied twice to 35 participants to measure test-retest reliability.

Results: Statistically significant (P < 0.001) differences were found between the before and after performance scores in all subscales and the total score of the EASE-TR. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.664) was observed between EASE-TR and VTDS. There was a significant difference in the EASE-TR scores between the group with vocal complaints and the group without complaints. The Cronbach alpha value of the EASE-TR was found to be 0.894. EASE-TR was found to have a good degree of test-retest reliability.

Conclusion: EASE-TR is a valid and reliable self-reported tool for singers to measure current singing voice function. Our findings indicate that EASE-TR is a sensitive tool that can measure the positive effect of voice training, experience, and vocal warm-up and even can detect voice complaints in participants who are not actively seeking treatment.

Clinical trial: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05999045.

Keywords: Singing; Voice disorders; Voice quality..

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05999045