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Normative Acoustic Data and Voice Quality Assessment in Spanish Young Adults
Israel Martínez-Nicolás1, Álvaro Mailhos2, Silvina Intaschi-Blanco3
1Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.
Purpose:
The human voice is a complex acoustic signal shaped by multiple anatomical and environmental factors. It serves as a primary medium for communication, allowing individuals to express emotions, intentions, and identity. These features can change due to aging, lifestyle habits, health conditions, and several sociocultural factors. Given the impact of voice disorders on daily life and psychological well-being, accurate assessment tools are essential for early detection and intervention. Given the natural variability of the human voice and the need for appropriate assessment tools, normative studies centered on young populations are necessary, as most existing studies focus on older populations more prone to vocal health problems. The aim of this study was to establish normative acoustic data for 23 acoustic parameters including the Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and the Acoustic Breathiness Index (ABI) in young adult, native Spanish speakers, analyzed separately by gender.
Method:
A total of 194 participants (82 men, 112 women) aged 18 to 25 years were recruited, who reported no prior history of voice disorders. Recordings of sustained vowels and connected speech were analyzed using Voxplot, a clinical tool based on Praat. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and gender differences were explored through t tests.
Results:
Normative values were obtained for 23 acoustic parameters in young Spanish-speaking adults. Several measures showed significant gender differences, particularly those related to fundamental frequency and spectral characteristics. Additionally, preliminary threshold values for mild dysphonia were calculated.
Conclusions:
This study provides normative acoustic data for young adult speakers and exploratory threshold values for parameters that may be obtained through Voxplot. The preliminary thresholds values may serve as reference points for early detection of vocal alterations. However, future studies should include groups with vocal pathologies in order to establish cutoff points.
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