The Dysarthria Impact Profile: A Preliminary French Experience with Parkinson's Disease

This preliminary study aimed to adapt the Dysarthria Impact Profile (DIP) in French and to confirm its relevance for the assessment of the psychosocial impact of dysarthria in Parkinson's disease (PD). The DIP scale was administered to 10 people with PD and 10 age-matched control subjects. The DIP psychometric properties were calculated (discriminant validity, internal consistency, and concurrent validity), notably by using the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) for interscale comparisons. The French version of the DIP discriminated people with PD from control subjects (χ (2) test, P < 0.05). Good internal consistency was observed in both populations (Cronbach's α = 0.93 for PD people and α = 0.76 for control subjects). The DIP was highly correlated with the VHI (Spearman's ρ = −0.70, P < 0.01), confirming the external validity of the scale. There was no direct relationship between PD speech and quality of life as assessed by the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39). Our preliminary data suggest that the French version of the DIP has the potential to make a useful contribution for the assessment and outcome management in acquired dysarthria for both clinicians and researchers.