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Speech segment durations produced by healthy and asthmatic subjects
L Lee1, L G Chamberlain, R G Loudon
1Department of Communication, University of Cincinnati, OH 45221.
The Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders
|May 1, 1988
Summary
Asthmatic speakers show altered speech breathing patterns, including longer pauses and fewer syllables per breath, despite meeting loudness requirements. These changes may help manage metabolic needs during speech.
Area of Science:
- Speech Science
- Respiratory Medicine
- Linguistics
Background:
- Asthma affects respiratory function, potentially impacting speech production.
- Understanding speech breathing in asthma is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate speech segment durations and breathing patterns in individuals with asthma.
- To compare speech characteristics between asthmatic and healthy subjects.
Main Methods:
- Measured speech segment durations during conversation, monologue, and counting tasks.
- Analyzed syllables per breath, pause time, and sound pressure levels.
- Compared acoustic and temporal speech features between asthmatic and healthy groups.
Main Results:
- Asthmatic speakers met loudness requirements for counting tasks.
- No significant differences in overall speech segment durations were observed.
- Asthmatic subjects exhibited increased pause time and reduced syllables per breath.
- A higher percentage of non-speech ventilatory activity was noted in asthmatics.
Conclusions:
- Asthma influences speech breathing strategies, characterized by increased pauses and reduced breath efficiency.
- Altered breathing patterns in asthmatics may be compensatory mechanisms for metabolic demands.
- Speech analysis offers insights into the functional impact of asthma on communication.