Normative Acoustic Voice Parameters in Native Arabic-Speaking Children and Adults Using Praat Software

Using Praat software to provide normative data for adult and children's voices offers great potential for identifying pathological voices.

This study aimed to establish normative acoustic voice parameters for native Arabic-speaking adults and children using Praat software.

Eighty vocally healthy adults (ages 21-50) were divided into three age groups: 21-30, 31-40, and 41-50 years. Twenty-nine children aged 6-12 years were also included. Acoustic tests were conducted using Praat, where participants phonated sustained vowels /a/ and /i/. Examined vocal parameters were fundamental frequency (F₀), median pitch, local Jitter %, absolute Jitter, local shimmer %, shimmer (dB), noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR), lowest intensity (I-low, dB(A)), and smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS).

Average measurements for children showed vowels /a/ and /i/ had F₀ of 284.51 and 299.56 Hz, jitter of 0.239% and 0.764%, and shimmer of 6.63% and 9.9%, respectively, with no significant gender differences. For adult females, vowels /a/ and /i/ had average F₀ of 223.25 and 227.93 Hz, jitter of 0.298% and 0.474%, and shimmer of 0.559 and 0.762 dB, respectively. Males exhibited average F₀ of 131.8 and 135.51 Hz for vowels /a/ and /i/, jitter of 0.270% and 0.343%, and shimmer of 0.592 and 0.811 dB. Adult males had CPPS values of 14.75 dB for vowel /a/ and 13.56 dB for vowel /i/. For females, these values were 12.86 dB for vowel /a/ and 11.12 dB for vowel /i/. Statistically significant higher F₀ values were found in adult females compared to males for both vowels, while males had statistically significant higher jitter and CPPS values for both vowels. Overall, age-related disparities were minimal.

This study provides initial reference data on acoustic normative voice parameters in native Arabic-speaking adults and children of both genders.