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Measuring the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) in the Program Praat
Youri Maryn1, Dominique Morsomme2, Marc De Bodt3
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, European Institute for ORL-HNS, Sint-Augustinus General Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University College Ghent, Ghent, Belgium; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
A new script allows for easy determination of the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) using the Praat software. This tool enhances clinical application by correlating strongly with the original DSI, benefiting voice clinicians.
Area of Science:
- Speech and Language Pathology
- Acoustic Analysis
- Voice Disorders
Background:
- The Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) is a clinical tool combining voice markers to assess dysphonia.
- Implementing DSI in the widely used Praat software would improve its general applicability for voice clinicians.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a Praat application for DSI calculation.
- To test the concurrent validity of the Praat-based DSI with the original DSI.
Main Methods:
- Four original DSI voice markers and ten additional Praat markers were assessed in 49 subjects across three clinical centers.
- Stepwise multiple linear regression was used to identify optimal Praat predictors for DSI.
- Correlation statistics compared the Praat DSI with the original DSI.
Main Results:
- A strong correlation was found between the original DSI and the DSI calculated using Praat.
- A custom script was developed for automated DSI determination within Praat.
Conclusions:
- The developed Praat script enables straightforward DSI determination for all voice clinicians.
- This facilitates broader clinical use and assessment of dysphonia severity.
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