The Effects of the “SPEAK OUT! ®” and “LOUD Crowd®” Voice Programs for Parkinson Disease

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience difficulties in various motor functions due to decreased amplitude and sensory guidance. Speech production is a motoric behavior, and difficulties with oral communication are often seen in these patients. The communication problems are primarily due to decreased airflow from the lungs, incomplete vocal fold vibration, and an insufficient range of motion and coordination of the speech articulators. Current behavioral management methods for communication difficulties with PD typically address the reduced vocal intensity in “one-on-one” voice therapy sessions. The present study investigated the effects of a set of voice remediation programs for PD that includes individual and group therapy components, namely, the SPEAK OUT!® and LOUD Crowd® programs. Objective measurements of vocal intensity and perceptual measurements of the patients’ ratings of the voice were recorded during the preand post-voice treatment phases. Statistically significant improvements were identified in both objective and perceptual measurements.