Abstract
The objective of the study was to analyze temperament and character in females with vocal nodules (VN) compared to a vocally healthy control population. 61 females were examined over a 17-month period for dysphonia with VN (mean age 46 years, duration of vocal complaints from 2 months to 6 years). 71 control females were recruited in their environment (mean age 34 years). The validated French Version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used. Patients with VN had significantly (p < 0,05) greater scores for Persistence and Novelty Seeking, particularly for the subscales exploratory excitability and extravagance. They had lower scores for Harm Avoidance, in particular fear of uncertainty, shyness and fatigability. Scores on Reward Dependence were not significantly different except for the subscale dependence, which were significantly lower in patients. No significant difference was found with regard to scores on Self-directedness, except for scores on the subscale self-acceptance, which were significantly lower in patients. Scores on Cooperativeness were not significantly different, except for the subscale helpfulness, which were significantly higher in patients. Patients had significant greater scores for Self-transcendence overall and specifically on the subscales self-forgetfulness and spiritual acceptance. Our findings suggested that women with VN are likely to have a passionate temperament, which might constitute an indirect predisposition to elevated vocal loading and greater risk for phonotrauma. The risk for developing or maintaining VN could be decreased by attending to those personality-specific maladaptive behaviors. A possible personalized approach to voice therapy could be organized on the basis of the TCI findings.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dikkers FG, Nikkels PG (1995) Benign lesions of the vocal folds: histopathology and phonotrauma. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 104(9 Pt 1):698–703
Karkos PD, McCormick M (2009) The etiology of vocal fold nodules in adults. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 17(6):420–423
Vilkman E (2000) Voice problems at work: a challenge for occupational safety and health arrangement. Folia Phoniatr Logop 52(1–3):120–125
Le Huche F (2004) Pathologie vocale d’origine fonctionnelle. Masson, Paris
Mirza N, Ruiz C, Baum ED, Staab JP (2003) The prevalence of major psychiatric pathologies in patients with voice disorders. Ear Nose Throat J 82:808–812
Willinger U, Volkl-Kernstock S, Aschauer HN (2005) Marked depression and anxiety in patients with functional dysphonia. Psychiatry Res 134:85–91
Baker J (2008) The role of psychogenic and psychosocial factors in the development of functional voice disorders. Int J Speech Lang Pathol 10:210–230
Baker J, Lane RD (2009) Emotion processing deficits in functional voice disorders. In: Izdebski K (ed) Emotions in the human voice. Plural Publishing, San Diego, pp 105–136
Baker J, Ben-Tovim D, Butcher A, Esterman A, McLaughlin K (2013) Psychosocial risk factors which may differentiate between women with functional voice disorder, organic voice disorder and a control group. Int J Speech Lang Pathol 15(6):547–563
Dietrich M, Verdolini Abott K, Gartner-Schmidt J, Rosen CA (2008) The frequency of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression in patients with common pathologies affecting voice. J Voice 22(4):472–488
Dietrich M, Verdolini Abbott K (2012) Vocal function in introverts and extraverts during a psychological stress reactivity protocol. J Speech Lang Hear Res 55(3):973–987
El Uali Abeida M, Fernandez Liesa R, Valles Varela H, Garcia Campayo J, Rueda Gormedino P, Ortiz Garcia A (2011) Study of the influence of psychological factors in the etiology of vocal nodules in women. J Voice 27(1):129e15–129e20
C Mc Hugh-Munier, Scherer K, Lehmann W, Lehmann W, Scherer U (1997) Coping strategies, personality and voice quality in patients with vocal fold nodules and polypes. J Voice 11:452–461
Millar A, Deary IJ, Wilson JA, MacKenzie K (1999) Is an organic/functional distinction psychologically meaningful in patients with dysphonia. J Psychosom 46(6):497–505
Ratajczak J, Grzywacz K, Wojdas A, Rapiejko P, Jurkiewicz D (2008) Role of psychological factors in pathogenesis of disturbances of voice caused with vocal nodules. Otolaryngol Pol 62(6):758–763
Roy N, McGrory JJ, Tasko SM, Bless DM, Heisey D, Ford CN (1997) Psychological correlates of functional dysphonia: an investigation using the minnesota multiphasic personality inventory. J Voice 11:443–451
Roy N, Bless DM, Heisey D (2000) Personality and voice disorders. A superfactor traits analysis. J Speech Lang Hear Res 43:749–768
Roy N, Bless DM, Heisey D (2000) Personality and voice disorders: a multitrait-multidisorder analysis. J Voice 14:521–548
Gray J, Mc Naughton H (1996) The neuropsychology of anxiety: reprise. Nebr Symp Motiv 43:61–134
Cloninger CR, Svrakic DM, Przybeck TR (1993) A psychobiological model of tempérament and character. Arch Gen Psychiatry 50:975–990
Svrakic DM, Draganic S, Hill K, Bayon C, Przybeck TR, Cloninger CR (2002) Temperament, character and personality disorders: etiologic, diagnostic, treatment issues. Acta Psychiatr Scand 106:189–195
Eysenck HJ (1967) The biological basis of personality. Charles C, Thomas, Springfield
Pelissolo A, Lepine JP (2000) Normative data and factor structure of the temperament and character inventory (TCI) in the French version. Psychiatry Res 94:67–76
Baker J, Ben-Tovim DI, Butcher A, Esterman A, McLaughlin K (2007) Development of a modified diagnostic classification system for voice disorders with inter-rater reliability study. Logoped Phoniatr Vocol 32:99–112
Zelenski JM, Larsen RJ (1999) Susceptibility to affect: a comparison of three personality taxonomies. J Personal 67:761–791
Cloninger CR (2000) A practical way to diagnosis personality disorder: a proposal. J Personal Disord 14:99–108
Vintturi J (2001) Studies on voice production. Dissertation, University of Helsinski
Kroemer KHE, Grandjean E (1997) Fitting the task to the human. Taylor & Francis, London
Nybo L, Secher N (2004) Cerebral perturbations provoked by prolonged exercise. Prog Neurobiol 72:223–261
Acknowledgements
Laura Lapierre, Speech Therapist, Aix-Marseille University, France. David Magalon, MD, Aix-Marseille University, France. Maria Dietrich, PH.D, CCC-SLP, University of Missouri, USA. The authors would like to thank warmly Maria Dietrich for her friendly thorough revision of the first draft and invaluable help for the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Comité de Protection des Personnes Sud Méditerranée II and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mattei, A., Revis, J. & Giovanni, A. Personality traits inventory in patients with vocal nodules. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 1911–1917 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4421-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4421-7