Test-retest reliability and discriminatory power of multidimensional voice analysis program

Area of Science:

• Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Acoustic Analysis
• Voice Disorders

Background:

• Acoustic voice analysis provides objective measures of vocal function.
• Parameters like jitter, shimmer, NHR, and VTI are commonly used to assess voice quality.
• Understanding the reliability and discriminatory power of these measures is crucial for clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the test-retest reliability of acoustic parameters (jitter, shimmer, NHR, VTI) using the multidimensional voice program.
• To determine the discriminatory power of these acoustic measures between dysphonic and normal voices.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-four participants with voice disorders and fifty-one with normal voices were enrolled.
• Participants underwent anamnesis, visual examination, GRBAS assessment, and acoustic measurements.
• Intraclass correlation coefficient, t-test, and effect size (d value) were used to assess reliability and discriminatory power.

Main Results:

• Normal group: Good reliability for jitter, shimmer, NHR; moderate for VTI.
• Dysphonic group: Moderate reliability for jitter, shimmer, VTI; good for NHR.
• Discriminatory power: Medium for jitter and shimmer; small for NHR and VTI.

Conclusions:

• Acoustic measures demonstrated high reliability and discriminatory power compared to other studies.
• Stringent rules can maximize reliability and discriminatory power.
• Acoustic measures are valuable complementary tools in voice assessment due to voice's inherent variability.