Background: Vocal abuse or muscle tension dysphonia is one of the most common diseases in Otorhinolaryngology Clinic.
Professional voice users and patients with cleft palate are at increased risk for voice disorder. Voice therapy is the first line
of management; however, limitation of speech service causes treatment inaccessibility in Thailand and developing countries.
Objective: To find the effectiveness of a self-training voice program in increasing maximum phonation time, decreasing
relative average perturbation between pre-treatment and post–treatment, and improvement treatment by a self-administered post-treatment questionnaire.
Material and Method: Sixteen patients with hoarseness received vocal hygiene and self-training program of diaphragmatic breathing as well as coordination of breathing with phonation for 10 weeks. Voice assessment, Maximum phonation time and relative average perturbation with Computer Speech Lab; ear nose, throat examination and videostroboscopy were performed at 1st visit and the final or 4th visit. Maximum phonation time with a stopwatch; maximum duration of counting time and perceptual assessment for 6 parameters (grade, instability, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain) were done pretreatment;
at the 3th; 6th; 10th weeks; and post-treatment.
Results: The Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test revealed that the self-training voice therapy program significantly increased maximum phonation times from Computer Speech Lab, as well as from stopwatch, the maximum duration of counting.
Conclusion: The self-training program is an effective treatment for functional voice disorders.

Keywords: Self-Training Therapy, Voice therapy, Voice disorders, Hoarseness, Cleft