IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNICATION OF VOICE REH ABILITATED LARYNGECTOMEES BY A PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAINING-PROGRAM

An important goal of laryngectomee rehabilitation is achieving the bes t possible result in voice restoration. In addition to good voice qual ity, efficient intelligibility in daily conversation requires specific communication skills, which are very often neglected in speech therap y. In this study 51 male laryngectomees were randomized to an interven tion group or an attention control group. After hospital discharge the intervention group participated in a psychological training program a imed at improving the communication behavior of the laryngectomees. Th is training was part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program (lastin g over six months) and consisted of four modules: Improvement of commu nication over the disability; Discrimination of factors affecting inte lligibility; Development of behavioral strategies for improving intell igibility in daily conversation; Transferring the strategies to daily live. The effectiveness of training was evaluated by a questionnaire w hich covered three important aspects of communication behavior. As a r esult of the intervention the patients influenced more effectively the ir own communication behavior and also influenced more adequately the behavior of typical communication partners. Present finding with the p sychological training program demonstrated that the communication beha vior of laryngectomees can be significantly improved.