Effects of Safe and Sound Protocol on self-reported autonomic reactivity, anxiety, and depression in speech therapy clients with voice, throat, and breathing complaints

SSP in Speech Therapy Clients

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  • Heleen Grooten-Bresser Practice for Voice, Breathing and Trauma Therapy. Gennep Netherlands, voorz pvi NL
  • Keri J. Heilman University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry, CB 7160, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-0000, USA; Indiana University, Socioneural Physiology Laboratory, Traumatic Stress Research Consortium (TSRC), 509 E. 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN, 47401-3654, US.
  • Piet G. C. Kooijman Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc), Department Ear, Nose and Throat; Department of Rehabilitation. Nijmegen, Netherlands. (Retired)
  • Elisa Monti Voice and Trauma Research and Connection Group, Inc. 1350 Avenue of the Americas (2nd floor), New York, NY, 10019, United States
  • Mickey N. Chenault Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Health, Ethics and Society, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
  • Logan G. Holmes Indiana University, Socioneural Physiology Laboratory, Traumatic Stress Research Consortium (TSRC), 509 E. 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN, 47401-3654, US.
  • Olivia Resto The New School for Social Research, 80 Fifth Avenue (6th floor), New York, NY, 10011, United States

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https://doi.org/10.47513/mmd.v16i2.944

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Voice and throat complaints##common.commaListSeparator## Medically unexplained symptoms##common.commaListSeparator## anxiety##common.commaListSeparator## depression##common.commaListSeparator## autonomic function

##article.abstract##

Medically unexplained oto-rhino-laryngeal symptoms (MUORLS) may have a pathophysiology related to brain-body state regulation.  We use predictions from the Polyvagal Theory to investigate whether clients with voice problems have increased autonomic reactivity, anxiety, and depression. Study 1 included 54 clients with MUORLS, and a comparison group of 26 individuals without MUORLS.  Outcome measures were anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), autonomic reactivity (Body Perception Questionnaire Short Form, BPQ-SF), and extent of voice handicap (The Voice Handicap Index, VHI) for the clients.  The client group scored higher than the control group in supra-diaphragmatic reactivity, but there were no group differences in other measures. To extend the findings of Study 1, a feasibility study (Study 2) evaluated the effects of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a Polyvagal-informed protocol, on the same outcome measures.   Study 2 included 33 clients with self-reported voice and throat complaints. Outcome measures assessed pre- and post-SSP were anxiety and depression (HADS) and autonomic reactivity (BPQ-SF).  Results demonstrated a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, and autonomic reactivity post-SSP.  In conclusion, a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie MUORLS may provide guidance for using neurophysiologically based interventions, such as SSP, that target autonomic state regulation.

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Heleen Grooten-Bresser has been involved in research and private practice for voice-breathing communication and trauma therapy since 1979, with expertise in Somatic Experiencing (SEP), breathing- and voice therapies, and family constellations. 

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Keri Heilman is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina, and a researcher at the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Indiana University. 

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Piet G.C. Kooijman (SLP) is a logopedic therapist, specialized in Voice Disorders, who was employed for 37 years at Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc).

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Elisa Monti is a psychologist and researcher from the New School for Social Research, a certified Performance Wellness Therapist and Vocal Psychotherapist.

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Michelene (Mickey) Chenault is a statistician who has taught and participated in research projects at Maastricht University since 1988.

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Logan Holmes is a Research Associate at the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at Indiana University, specializing in programming and data management.

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Olivia Resto is a second-year clinical psychology doctoral student at the New School for Social Research, interested in how dissociation and trauma manifest within the body.

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2024-04-28

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##issue.vol## 16 ##issue.no## 2 (2024): Music and Medicine April

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