Sustained vowels and continuous speech in the auditory-perceptual evaluation of dysphonia severity

Auditory-perceptual evaluation of dysphonia may be influenced by the type of speech/voice task used to render judgements during the clinical evaluation, i.e., sustained vowels versus continuous speech. This study explored (a) differences in listener dysphonia severity ratings on the basis of speech/voice tasks, (b) the influence of speech/voice task on dysphonia severity ratings of stimuli that combined sustained vowels and continuous speech, and (c) the differences in inter-rater reliability of dysphonia severity ratings between both speech tasks.

Five experienced listeners rated overall dysphonia severity in sustained vowels, continuous speech and concatenated speech samples elicited by 39 subjects with various voice disorders and degrees of hoarseness.

Data confirmed that sustained vowels are rated significantly more dysphonic than continuous speech. Furthermore, dysphonia severity in concatenated speech samples is least determined by the sustained vowel. Finally, no significant difference was found in inter-rater reliability between dysphonia severity ratings of sustained vowels versus continuous speech.

Based upon the results, both types of speech/voice tasks (i.e., sustained vowel and continuous speech) should be elicited and judged by clinicians in the auditory-perceptual rating of dysphonia severity.