title: The speech and vocalization patterns of boys with ADHD compared with boys with dyslexia and boys without learning disabilities.
abstract: This research study dealt with an inquiry into the speech and vocalization patterns of boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who were not under the influence of stimulating medication, compared with the speech and vocalization patterns of boys with reading disabilities and a control group of learners without learning disabilities. The voices of 105 participants were recorded during interviews and analyzed in the laboratory using equipment that examined the temporal speech patterns and physical features of vocalization. The speech patterns were examined with a frequency examination, speech unit length duration, and correlation between the vocalization and pauses in the speech unit. The physical features of vocalization were examined with volume and frequency scales. The research results indicated that the speech and vocalization patterns of boys with ADHD were significantly different from those of boys with reading disabilities and from the boys in the control group. The results support the assumption that speech and vocalization indicators can be used as objective indicators for the diagnosis of hyperactivity syndrome with attention and concentration difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Neurocognitive Research, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Israel. zviab@construct.haifa.ac.il
authors.forename: Zvia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Breznitz
mesh_terms: D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010700:Phonetics; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013067:Speech Perception; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014706:Verbal Learning