The Phonatory Characteristics of Voice in Profoundly Hearing-Impaired Children: with Reference to F0, Intensity, and their Perturbations

심도 청각장애 아동의 발성특성: 강도, 음도 및 그 변동률을 중심으로

This study investigates the differences in mean F0, intensity, jitter, and shimmer across hearing aid, gender, and vowels. For this study, 18 hearing-impaired children, 18 cochlear implanted children, and 18 normal hearing children as a control group were asked to read seven Korean vowels (/$\alpha$, $\wedge$, o, u, w, i, $\varepsilon$/). Subjects' readings were recorded by NasalView and analyzed by Praat. Results showed that the means of F0 were significantly higher in the hearing impaired group than in the normal hearing group; in the female group than in the male group; and in high vowels than in low vowels. Second, intensity was significantly higher in the hearing impaired group than in the normal hearing group; in the female group than in the male group; and in low vowels than in high vowels. Third, jitter was significantly higher in the normal hearing group than in the hearing impaired group; in the female group than in the male group; and in back vowels than in front vowels. Finally, shimmer was significantly higher in the CI group than in the normal hearing group or the hearing aided group; in the male group than in the female group; and in low vowels than in high vowels.