Journal Article

DZNE-2026-00273

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Development and validation of the dysarthria impact scale: a patient-reported outcome for motor speech disorders.

Vogel, A. P. ; Graf, L.Extern* ; Weiß, M. ; Chan, C. S. J. ; Hepworth, G. ; Synofzik, M. (Last author)DZNE*

2026
Steinkopff [Darmstadt]

This record in other databases:    

Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1007/s00415-026-13740-1

Abstract: Impaired speech due to dysarthria significantly impacts quality of life. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) offer critical insight into the lived experience of communication disability and are central to regulatory frameworks for patient-focused drug development.To develop and validate the Dysarthria Impact Scale (DIS), a brief PRO designed to assess the impact of motor speech disorders on quality of life across neurological conditions.A multi-site, cross-sectional study was conducted with 244 participants, including individuals with Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, hereditary ataxias, and head and neck cancer, and healthy controls. The 22-item DIS was developed using expert input and patient feedback and evaluated alongside reference tools (Voice Handicap Index and SF-36). Item reduction procedures yielded two shorter versions (DIS-17 and DIS-6). Validity, reliability, and sensitivity/specificity analyses were performed, and minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) were estimated using distribution-based methods.All DIS versions showed strong convergent validity with the VHI (r = -0.85) and SF-36 (r = 0.72) and were correlated with blinded perceptual speech ratings. DIS-17 and DIS-6 achieved comparable sensitivity (0.93 and 0.88) and specificity (0.84 and 0.86, respectively). Test-retest reliability was high (r = 0.98), with estimated MCIDs and within-subject variability provided. Group differences were observed, with lower DIS scores in ataxia and Parkinson's disease compared to Huntington's disease.The DIS is a valid, reliable, and practical PRO for quantifying the impact of dysarthria on quality of life. Longitudinal responsiveness remains to be established.

Keyword(s): Humans (MeSH) ; Dysarthria: diagnosis (MeSH) ; Dysarthria: etiology (MeSH) ; Dysarthria: psychology (MeSH) ; Male (MeSH) ; Female (MeSH) ; Middle Aged (MeSH) ; Patient Reported Outcome Measures (MeSH) ; Aged (MeSH) ; Cross-Sectional Studies (MeSH) ; Adult (MeSH) ; Reproducibility of Results (MeSH) ; Quality of Life (MeSH) ; Severity of Illness Index (MeSH) ; Clinical trials ; Dysarthria ; Patient-reported outcome ; Questionnaire ; Speech ; Survey

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. Parkinson Genetics (AG Gasser)

Research Program(s):

1. 353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353) (POF4-353)

---

Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Springer ; DEAL Springer ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

---