title: Estimating dysphonia severity in continuous speech: application of a multi-parameter spectral/cepstral model.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to identify a sub-set of spectral/cepstral-based analysis methods that would most effectively predict dysphonia severity (as estimated via auditory-perceptual analysis) in samples of continuous speech. Acoustic estimates of dysphonia severity were used as an objective treatment outcomes measure in a set of pre- vs post-treatment speech samples. Pre- and post-treatment continuous speech samples from 104 females with primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) were rated by listeners using a 100 point visual analogue scale (VAS) and analysed acoustically with spectral/cepstral-based measures. Stepwise linear regression produced a three-factor model consisting of the cepstral peak prominence (CPP); the mean ratio of low-to-high frequency spectral energy; and the standard deviation of the ratio of low-to-high frequency spectral energy that was strongly correlated with perceived dysphonia severity ratings (R = .85; R2 = .73). Mean differences between predicted vs perceptual ratings for pre- and post-treatment speech samples were < 6 points on the 100 point VAS; mean absolute differences between predicted and perceived ratings were < 16 points on the 100 point VAS (equivalent to within one scale value on commonly used 7-point equal-appearing interval rating scales). A multi-parameter acoustic model consisting of spectral/cepstral-based measures shows considerable promise as an objective measure of dysphonia severity in continuous speech, even across the diverse voice types and severities observed in pre- and post-treatment MTD speech samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology & Speech Pathology, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301, USA. sawan@bloomu.edu
authors.forename: Shaheen N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Awan
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dromey
mesh_terms: D055154:Dysphonia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009129:Muscle Tonus; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010700:Phonetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013060:Speech; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013070:Speech Therapy