Perceptual analysis of child hoarseness using continuous scales

Abstract

The voices of 58 10-year old children were recorded on audiotape and judged by a panel of voice expert listeners, who rated the voices along 16 voice parameters represented by visual analogue (continuous) scales on a test form. Interjudge reliability was high. Rank ordered rating means revealed a discontinuity in the distribution for most parameters. A factor analysis revealed three factors of major relevance to the perception of these voices. The factors were closely associated with hoarseness, pitch, and phonatory effort. The hoarseness factor was found to have high loadings in gratings, breathiness, hyperfunction, roughness, instability, and voice breaks. A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that breathiness, hyperfunction and roughness are good predictors of hoarseness.

Key Words:

• voice quality
• perceptual analysis
• hoarseness
• child hoarseness
• visual analogue scales.