A cross-sectional validation study of self-evaluation of communication experiences after laryngeal cancer - A questionnaire for use in the voice rehabilitation of laryngeal cancer patients

A psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire 'Self-Evaluation of Communic ation Experiences after Laryngeal Cancer' (S-SECEL) addressing communicatio n dysfunction in patients with laryngeal cancer was carried out. Ninety-thr ee patients with laryngeal cancer were studied. For comparison of response patterns and external validation 21 patients with non-small cell lung cance r (NSCLC) and 26 patients with hoarseness, caused by benign laryngeal disea se, were included in the analysis. The patients completed three questionnai res; the S-SECEL, the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Hospital Anxiet y and Depression scale (HAD). The S-SECEL questionnaire was well-accepted b y the patients, compliance was satisfactory, and missing value rates were l ow. The reliability of the S-SECEL was satisfactory for the Environment and Attitude subscales, whereas the General subscale did not reach the reliabi lity levels recommended for group comparisons. In general, the response pat tern in the three diagnostic groups and the pattern of correlations between the S-SECEL scores and the SIP- and HAD-subscales and dimensions lent supp ort to the construct validity of the S-SECEL.