title: The relationship between perception of vocal effort and relative fundamental frequency during voicing offset and onset.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the authors aimed to determine the relationship between relative fundamental frequency (RFF) and listener perception of vocal effort in individuals with varying degrees of vocal hyperfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty women diagnosed with voice disorders commonly associated with vocal hyperfunction and 10 healthy women provided speech samples that were used to obtain parameters of RFF. Twelve listeners judged the speech samples for overall severity and vocal effort (VE) using rating scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant but relatively weak negative correlations were found between perceptual measures and offset RFF parameters. Although offset RFF was increased in healthy participants relative to speakers with voice disorders, no differences were seen in RFF as a function of severity of VE in individuals with voice disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a statistically significant correlation between offset RFF and VE was found, examination of data as a function of both VE and health status indicated that RFF more accurately classifies the presence of a voice disorder than does severity of voice quality or VE. There is a need for further research to investigate the clinical utility of RFF measures for assessment of rehabilitation progress.
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. cstepp@bu.edu
authors.forename: Cara E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Stepp
authors.forename: Devon E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Sawin
authors.forename: Tanya L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Eadie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult