Voice Handicap Index (VHI) Test

In about 6 minutes, it helps you understand how voice issues affect your daily life, body, and emotions. With 30 quick items, it provides a clear baseline and tracks progress over time.

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Questions: 306 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

13,332 views

842 completions

680 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/10

Physical Scale (PS)

Measures the perceived physical and acoustic characteristics of the voice, including strength, timbre, and stability, and how much they interfere with daily life.

Low impact

Moderate impact

High impact

0 – 3: Low impact | 4 – 6: Moderate impact | 7 – 10: High impact

A score of 4 indicates a moderate level of perceived physical voice difficulties, suggesting noticeable but not severe issues with voice strength, timbre, or stability.

example score

7/10

Functional Scale (FS)

Measures how much voice difficulties interfere with everyday communication and daily activities.

Low impact

Moderate impact

High impact

0 – 3: Low impact | 4 – 6: Moderate impact | 7 – 10: High impact

A score of 7 suggests a high functional impact, meaning voice issues often make communication and routine tasks more difficult.

example score

7/10

Emotional Scale (ES)

Measures the degree of emotional distress and negative feelings associated with perceived voice difficulties.

Low impact

Moderate impact

High impact

0 – 3: Low impact | 4 – 6: Moderate impact | 7 – 10: High impact

A score of 7 falls in the High impact range, suggesting pronounced emotional concern or distress related to voice quality.

example score

13/30

Voice Handicap Index (VHI)

Measures how much voice difficulties interfere with a person’s quality of life across functional, physical, and emotional domains.

Low impact

Moderate impact

High impact

0 – 10: Low impact | 11 – 20: Moderate impact | 21 – 30: High impact

A score of 13 falls in the Moderate impact range, suggesting voice difficulties are having a noticeable but not severe effect on daily life.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People with persistent hoarseness

41%OF USERS

Adults who notice ongoing hoarseness, voice fatigue, or reduced volume and want to understand how much it disrupts daily life.

Voice-dependent professionals

34%OF USERS

Teachers, singers, call-center workers, and other heavy voice users who feel strain and need a clear snapshot of functional and emotional impact.

Patients in voice treatment

25%OF USERS

People already seeing an ENT doctor or speech therapist who use the questionnaire to track symptoms and changes during therapy or recovery.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Physical Scale (PS)

Average

3.9

Normal range

2.3 — 5.5

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Functional Scale (FS)

Average

4.8

Normal range

2.9 — 6.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Emotional Scale (ES)

Average

2.7

Normal range

1.4 — 4

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Voice Disorder Index (VDI)

Average

9.1

Normal range

3.7 — 14.5

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures how voice difficulties affect daily activities, physical voice symptoms, and emotional well-being. The results reflect the perceived impact on quality of life.

How is it structured?

It includes 30 statements covering functional, physical, and emotional aspects of voice-related difficulty. Each statement is rated based on personal experience.

How long does it take to complete?

Most respondents complete it in about 6 minutes. Time may vary depending on reading speed and symptom complexity.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches how often each statement applies. Responses should reflect typical experience rather than an unusually good or bad day.

How are the results used?

Scores help identify areas of greatest impact and support clinical decision-making. Repeated administrations can track change over time during treatment.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Voice Handicap Index (VHI) Test - Symptoms and Signs

voice and hearing

When voice functioning does not meet a person’s expectations, it can affect daily activities and emotional well-being. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) is a patient-reported outcome measure designed to capture the perceived impact of voice difficulties on everyday life (Grywalski, Johnson, Silbergleit, & Jacobson). It includes 30 items and typically takes about 6 minutes to complete.

Items reflect common concerns across functional, physical, and emotional domains, supporting a structured description of self-perceived voice-related limitations. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) can be used to document baseline severity from the patient’s perspective and to track change over time in response to intervention or clinical follow-up.

Author: Annette Grywalski, Barbara H. Jacobson, Elizabeth M. Silbergleit, Gary R. Johnson

Literature: Ma, E. P.-M., & Yiu, E. M.-L. Voice activity and participation profile: Assessing the impact of voice disorders on daily activities. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2001.; Jacobson, B. H., Johnson, A., Grywalski, C., Silbergleit, A., Jacobson, G., & Benninger, M. S. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI): Development and validation. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. 1997.

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