AJSLP Research Note Examining the Construct Validity of the V-RQOL in Speakers Who Use Alaryngeal Voice Catherine C. Bornbaum, a Adam M. B. Day, a and Philip C. Doyle a,b,c Purpose: The construct validity of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL; Hogikyan & Sethuraman, 1999) measure was evaluated in a sample of 109 individuals who have undergone total laryngectomy. Method: A principal components factor analysis was performed on participant responses to the 10-question V-RQOL measure. Results: Factor analysis of the V-RQOL in our alaryngeal sample confirmed the presence of two factors (physical and social–emotional), which is consistent with the identified domains in the current V-RQOL. However, the current data indicate that some of the questions proposed by the original authors of the V-RQOL (Questions 7 and 9) do not align with their proposed domains in this postlaryngectomy sample. Conclusion: The results indicate that some V-RQOL questions do not align with their proposed domains. Consequently, an alternative scoring algorithm may be warranted for alaryngeal populations, and the authors make suggestions for this change that are simple and efficient. Based on the findings of the present factor analysis, use of this modified scoring procedure may serve to increase the sensitivity of the V-RQOL for those who are laryngectomized and use alaryngeal methods of voice and speech. Consequently, the value and application of the V-RQOL may be expanded in the clinical setting. Key Words: V-RQOL, laryngeal cancer, alaryngeal speech, validation, factor analysis R ecently, there has been an increasing awareness of quality-of-life (QOL) concerns in individuals who have been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and have subsequently undergone total laryngectomy (Eadie, 2007; Eadie, Day, Sawin, Lamvik, & Doyle, 2013; Oridate et al., 2009; Robertson, Yeo, Dunnet, Young, & MacKenzie, 2012). Further, there has been a recent acknowledgment that existing head and neck cancer-specific QOL measures may fail to identify important voice- and communication-related concerns in individuals who have had laryngectomies (Op de Coul et al., 2005). Op de Coul et al. also noted that some measures of QOL may be insensitive to aspects that directly influence self-perceived “voice” concerns that influence one’s QOL. Thus, efforts that seek to quantify self-perceptions of the postlaryngectomy voice may provide one step toward understanding the impact of laryngectomy on one’s com- municative limitations. Clearly, changes in one’s ability to vocalize postlaryn- gectomy will have a considerable impact on communication functioning. This is true regardless of the postlaryngectomy “alaryngeal” voice and speech mode used (i.e., esophageal, tracheoesophageal, or electrolaryngeal methods). In this regard, the ability to detect the true impact of postlaryngectomy verbal communication on one’s voice-related communica- tion and subsequent voice-related QOL may be a consider- able challenge in this unique clinical population. Thus, having the ability to accurately assess the impact of voice- related deficits for those who use alaryngeal methods of postlaryngectomy communication may provide a valuable index of both short- and long-term postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation success. Quality of life, in its generic use, is an omnibus term that refers to an individual’s self-perceived level of well-being relative to a variety of dimensions of functioning (e.g., phys- ical, psychological, social, communicative). In this regard, however, QOL is ultimately a composite term that seeks to provide an individualized evaluation to assess multiple a Laboratory for Well-Being and Quality of Life in Oncology, Western University, London, Ontario b London Health Sciences Centre, Western University, London, Ontario c Western University, London, Ontario Correspondence to Catherine C. Bornbaum: cbornba@gmail.com Editor: Carol Scheffner Hammer Associate Editor: Julie Barkmeier-Kraemer Received March 7, 2013 Revision received August 23, 2013 Accepted November 23, 2013 DOI: 10.1044/2013_AJSLP-13-0024 Disclosure: The authors have declared that no competing interests existed at the time of publication. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology • Vol. 23 • 196–202 • May 2014 • A American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 196