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Background and Objectives: One of the common disorders in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) is speech sound disorder. To increase students’ competence and objectively evaluate their clinical skills, we used the Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) test in a clinical setting and examined its validity and reliability Methods: This research is a non-interventional descriptive study. Twenty students who participated in this study were selected by the census method. Traditional treatment approach skill for speech sound disorder was selected. Then an evaluation checklist of DOPS was prepared. After obtaining the consent of students and professors, they entered the study. Two professors observed the work of all student during the procedure on a real patient. Results were recorded in a checklist, and feedback was given to the students about their strengths and weaknesses. Results: The content validity index of the DOPS test was more than 0.8, and its content validity ratio was more than 0.62. The correlation coefficients of questions indicate the optimal internal structure of the test and its structural validity. The results showed that the test questions were related to the predetermined subject. Results confirmed high face validity. The obtained Cronbach α coefficient (0.865) confirmed DOPS reliability. There was a significant inter-rater correlation coefficient (0.901) between evaluators (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the study, the use of DOPS for objective assessment of clinical skill has validity and reliability. This test can be used to evaluate the clinical work of SLP students, provide feedback, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and improve them.

Background: University professors are a group of professional voice users who report more voice problems than the general population, which may affect their quality of life. The World Health Organization defines health as a multidimensional concept: "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) can assess university professors' vocal health even before having a voice problem. Objectives: We aimed to study the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in Iranian rehabilitation professors with and without vocal complaints. Methods: This cross-sectional online study enrolled 235 professors (100 men and 135 women) from Iranian rehabilitation colleges selected through stratified random sampling. The inclusion criterion was being a university professor. The assessment tools included VHI and a four-part questionnaire about vocal complaints. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test checked the normality of quantitative data. The Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests compared the two groups. The data were analyzed by SPSS21 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The rate of voice problems was significantly more in professors with vocal complaints (29.12%) than in those without complaints (9%), according to VHI30 (P < 0.001). The mean VHI differences between the two groups, with and without vocal complaints, were significant in the scores of the total scale (P < 0.000) and its subtests physical (P < 0.000), emotional (P < 0.000), and functional (P < 0.002). Some information was also obtained about vocal complaints in professors, including the frequency of nine vocal complaints. The frequency of the complaints was 64.1% for vocal fatigue, 61.2% for hoarseness, 24.3% for pain, 16.5% for breathy voice, 15.5% for strain, 13.6% for monotone voice, 11.7% for pitch breaks, 5.8% for aphonia, 4.9% tremor in professors with vocal complaints, 78.64% for the effect of vocal complaints on communication, and 72.8% (acute) and 27.2% (chronic) for the duration of vocal complaints. Conclusions: Iranian university professors of rehabilitation science with vocal complaints had higher VHI scores than those without vocal complaints, which shows they may be apt to voice problems. Vocal fatigue was the most common voice complaint, and voice tremor was the least. Also, most reported complaints were acute that affected professors' communication. In future research, it seems necessary to design comprehensive prevention and treatment programs focusing on the vocal health of professors in rehabilitation colleges.