Relation between voice profile ratings and aerodynamic and acoustic parameters

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Voice Science
• Acoustic Analysis

Background:

• The Wilson Voice Profile is a tool for assessing voice disorders.
• Understanding the relationship between perceptual voice ratings and objective measures is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between Wilson Voice Profile (WVP) ratings and specific aerodynamic and acoustic voice variables.
• To determine the extent to which objective voice measures can account for subjective perceptual ratings in individuals with and without voice disorders.

Main Methods:

• Participants included 20 adults with voice disorders and 5 healthy adults.
• Stepwise multiple correlation analyses were employed to examine relationships between variables.
• Aerodynamic and acoustic data were collected and correlated with WVP scores.

Main Results:

• Objective voice measures accounted for a substantial range of variance in WVP perceptual ratings.
• For female speakers, these variables explained 29% of the variance in connected speech tension ratings and up to 81% of the variance in pitch ratings.
• The findings indicate that while objective measures are related to WVP, they do not fully explain the perceptual voice characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Perceptual voice ratings on the Wilson Voice Profile are only partially explained by the included aerodynamic and acoustic variables.
• Further research is needed to identify additional factors influencing voice perception and WVP scores.
• These findings have implications for understanding the multifactorial nature of voice disorders and their assessment.