Investigation of the validity and reliability of the turkish version of Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily(EASE-TR)

It is recommended to customize the assessment process of singers' voices based on their vocal usage styles and demands. Currently, no Turkish patient-reported outcome measure is available for the clinical assessment of professional voice users with a healthy voice. Therefore, our study aimed to culturally adapt the Turkish version of the EASE (EASE-TR) scale and investigate its validity and reliability. In the first phase of the research, the scale was adapted to Turkish, and in the second phase, participants were asked to complete the EASE-TR and the severity part of the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) before and after the performance. Voice recordings were obtained according to the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) protocol. The study included 100 choristers between the ages of 18 and 65. For test-retest reliability, 35% of the participants were asked to complete the EASE-TR again. Within the scope of construct validity, the " Known Groups Validity" method was used based on variables such as experience duration, vocal training status, and the presence/absence of current vocal complaints, and the comparison of pre-and post-performance EASE scores was conducted. Regarding criterion validity, the correlation between EASE scores and the CAPE-V and severity part of the VTDS was examined. Cronbach alpha was calculated for internal consistency reliability, item-total score correlation was examined, and test-retest reliability was calculated. As a result of this thesis study, a moderate positive correlation (r=0.664) was observed between EASE-TR and VTDS. Statistically significant (p<0.001) decreases were found in post-performance EASE scores compared to pre-performance EASE data. There was a significant difference in EASE scores between the group with vocal complaints and those without complaints (p=0.003). Cronbach alpha value of the EASE-TR was found 0.894. These findings demonstrate that EASE-TR is a valid and reliable self-evaluation tool that can be used to assess the current functional status of the singing voice in singers.