Pre-operative speech-language pathology counselling in patients undergoing total laryngectomy: A pilot randomized clinical trial

• Published in: Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) Vol. 42; no. 7; pp. 5717 - 5727
• Main Authors: Longobardi, Ylenia, Savoia, Vezio, Parrilla, Claudio, Marchese, Maria Raffaella, Morra, Luciana, Mari, Giorgia, Degni, Emilia, D’Alatri, Lucia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.03.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Chi-square test; Clinical trials; Counseling; Health counseling; Laryngeal cancer; Laryngectomy; Methods; Pathology; Preoperative care; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Risk factors; Social Sciences; Speech disorders; Speech therapy; Italy; Tracheoesophageal speech; Total laryngectomy; Psychological well-being; Speech-language pathologist; Counselling
• ISSN: 1046-1310; 1936-4733
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01932-z

Total Laryngectomy seriously affects on patients Quality of Life and on their psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to verify the effects of pre-operative Speech-Language Pathology counselling on laryngectomized patients. Pilot randomized controlled trial. Twenty-seven patients undergoing total laryngectomy and primary tracheoesophageal puncture were randomized as follows: 14/27 subjects were collocated in the Experimental group who received preoperative Speech-Language Pathology counselling and 13/27 in the Control group group that did not receive it. Two interviews and four questionnaires (Psychological Distress Inventory, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Italian-Self-Evaluation of Communication Experiences after Laryngeal Cancer) were administered immediately after surgery (T0), 1- (T1) and 3-months (T2) after hospital discharge in order to asses levels of distress, post-traumatic stress and anxious-depressive symptoms, acquisition and acceptance of the new voice. Student’s t test and chi square test showed that the two groups of patients were equivalent. Experimental group was more satisfied with the information and obtained statistically better ( p  < 0.05) scores in terms of levels of distress, post-traumatic stress, anxious-depressive symptoms and acceptance of the new voice than the Control group. The Speech-Language Pathology counselling may reduce the anguish, sadness and anticipatory anxiety deriving from the uncertainty of the post-operative course and it might facilitate the process of emotional adaptation, making patients more capable and prepared to face their new condition.