Coping With Dysphonia–How Do They Do It?

Coping is a key concept in psychological medicine and refers to the way in which people deal with the stress of illness. Voice disorders may have pervasive effects upon the individual's life beyond the vocal impairment, yet there is little reference in the current literature as to how people cope with voice problems. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief review of coping and its evaluation and to explore cultural differences and coping styles in individuals with voice disorders. The implications for voice therapy also are discussed.