• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to compare voice characteristics and voice-related quality of life (K-VRQOL) of the elderly female choir members using perceptual-auditory voice quality evaluation (GRBAS) and K-VRQOL scales. The participants were 77 women over 60 years old who were actively engaged in the choir in either Seoul or Busan. There are two kinds of choirs that indicate different engagement levels: regular choir and church choir. The perceptual-auditory vocal quality evaluation was listened to by / a / vowels and were graded by experts using the GRBAS scale. As a result, when comparing the differences between groups, the elderly female participants of the regular choir showed higher satisfaction in speech using the subjective speech recognition level than the elderly female members who performed in the church choir. In addition, the analysis showed that the satisfaction level was high in the physical function area of the K-VRQOL scale. This study confirmed that choral activities could yield positive results not only in terms of improving voice function in old age, but also to improve the subjective perception level of voice use, thus suggesting the necessity of systematic music programs to improve voices that are aging.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.3046-3050
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• 2014

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of 7-point interval scale(EAI) and visual analogue scale(VAS) on perceptual judgement and the reliability of severity on voice problems by dysphonic speakers. 30 undergraduate students studying communication disorder were enrolled in the perceptual evaluation. Those listeners judged overall voice severity within the anchored(condition 1) and non-anchored scales(condition 2) for vowel prolongation and reading tasks by 25 speakers with voice disorder. The results of this study showed that the scores by VAS was significantly higher than EAI in both condition 1 and condition 2 for vowel prolongation and reading task. However, the scores by EAI method was higher than by VAS method on voice severity of vowel prolongation (condition 1) and reading task(condition 2). These results suggest auditory-perceptual scaling procedures must be more studied in the aspects of clinical application of voice disorder.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.108-116
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the differences in the acoustic measurements (AVQI) and the auditory-perceptual assessments (GRBAS, CAPE-V) of the normal and vocal fold nodules. For this purpose, Total 335 voice samples were analyzed acoustically and three raters performed auditory-perceptual assessments. in the results, AVQI, G, and OS scores of the normal group were lower than those of the vocal fold nodules group. The correlations between the G scale and the OS scale were highly correlated, and the correlation between the AVQI, and auditory-perceptual results (G and OS) was also high value. The threshold values for discriminating AVQI, G, and OS between the two groups were ${\leq}4.06$, ${\leq}1$, and ${\leq}26$, respectively, and the predictive diagnostic power was 0.840, 0.860, and 0.848. In conclusion, AVQI and auditory-perceptual evaluation can improve potentiality the screening of vocal fold nodules and help to determine the diagnosis and treatment plan of voice disorders.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.81-90
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• 2023

Auditory perceptual assessment and acoustic analysis are commonly used in clinical practice for voice evaluation. This study aims to explore the effects of speech task context on auditory perceptual assessment and acoustic measures in patients with voice disorders. Sustained vowel phonations (/a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, /ɯ/, /ʌ/) and connected speech (a standardized paragraph 'kaeul' and nine sub-sentences) were obtained from a total of 22 patients with voice disorders. GRBAS ('G', 'R', 'B', 'A', 'S') and CAPE-V ('OS', 'R', 'B', 'S', 'P', 'L') auditory-perceptual assessment were evaluated by two certified speech language pathologists specializing in voice disorders using blind and random voice samples. Additionally, spectral and cepstral measures were analyzed using the analysis of dysphonia in speech and voice model (ADSV).When assessing voice quality with the GRBAS scale, it was not significantly affected by the vowel type except for 'B', while the 'OS', 'R' and 'B' in CAPE-V were affected by the vowel type (p<.05). In addition, measurements of CPP and L/H ratio were influenced by vowel types and sentence positions. CPP values in the standard paragraph showed significant negative correlations with all vowels, with the highest correlation observed for /e/ vowel (r=-.739). The CPP of the second sentence had the strongest correlation with all vowels. Depending on the speech stimulus, CAPE-V may have a greater impact on auditory-perceptual assessment than GRBAS, vowel types and sentence position with consonants influenced the 'B' scale, CPP, and L/H ratio. When using vowels in the voice assessment of patients with voice disorders, it would be beneficial to use not only /a/, but also the vowel /i/, which is acoustically highly correlated with 'breathy'. In addition, the /e/ vowel was highly correlated acoustically with the standardized passage and sub-sentences. Furthermore, given that most dysphonic signals are aperiodic, 2nd sentence of the 'kaeul' passage, which is the most acoustically correlated with all vowels, can be used with CPP. These results provide clinical evidence of the impact of speech tasks on auditory perceptual and acoustic measures, which may help to provide guidelines for voice evaluation in patients with voice disorders.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Emotion and Sensibility Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.181-182
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• 2009

GRBAS(G : grade, R : rough, B : breathy, S : strained, A : asthenic) 음성장애평가는 성대의 이상 또는 말마비장애 등의 환자들을 평가하는 척도로 널리 사용된다. 하지만 사람에 의해 주관적인 평가로 이루어지는 방식의 문제점이 많이 제기되어, 자동화 알고리즘에 의한 객관적인 청지각적 음성장애 평가도구를 개발하려는 시도가 많이 연구되어왔다. 이러한 개발에 있어 보편적으로 선행되어야 하는 음소 분류 및 일치성 판단을 위한 객관적인 파라미터를 구하고자 함이 본 연구의 목적이다.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

This study aimed to propose an appropriate evaluation method for the perceived level of speech disfluency based on sound prolongation (i.e., increased duration of segments). To this end, 34 Korean-speaking adults (9 males, 25 females, average age: 32.9 yrs.) participated as raters in this study. The participants listened to sentences containing a total of 25 stimuli with the Korean voiceless fricative /s/ extended by 80-ms increments up to 2,000 ms (i.e., 285 ms, 365 ms., ..., 2,125 ms, 2,205 ms), and evaluated them using an equal-appearing interval scale (EAI, 1-7 points, where 1 represents "normal" and 7 represents "severe"). Subsequently, based on the interval-scale results, the sentence stimuli with the prolonged voiceless fricative corresponding to the mild-to-moderate level (rated as 4 points) were selected as the reference modulus for direct magnitude estimation (DME). After scatter plots were created for the two evaluation results, the relationship between the two measured mean values was analyzed using a curve estimation method for the observed data with the highest R²-value to determine whether a linear or curvilinear approximation fit the data better. A curvilinear relationship between the two evaluation results was indicated, suggesting that DME is a more appropriate evaluation method than the EAI scale for assessing the perceived level of disfluency based on sound prolongation.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.67-74
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• 2021

This study examines the effectiveness of semi-occluded vocal tract exercise (SOVTE) conducted through telepractice for 10 female teachers who have experienced vocal discomfort while working in early childhood education facilities (childcare centers, kindergartens). The effects of SOVTE conducted through telepractice were evaluated based on the Korean voice handicap index (KVHI), the Korean version of the voice activity and participation profile (K-VAPP), vocal effort, and auditory perception evaluation by using the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale. The results show that total, functional, and physical scores of KVHI significantly reduced after SOVTE. The total score in K-VAPP significantly reduced after SOVTE. Moreover, vocal effort significantly decreased after SOVTE. However, statistically significant differences were not noted in GRB scales before and after SOVTE. In conclusion, early childhood teachers experienced reduced vocal discomfort SOVTE conducted through telepractice. The study results indicate that voice therapy conducted through telepractice is an effective method for reducing vocal discomfort in early childhood teachers.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2004

An auditory-perceptual rating scale has long been utilized in an evaluation procedure of Parkinsonian speech. This study attempted to investigate various variables and appropriate equal-interval rating scale for each variable. We collected speech samples from 27 patients with Parkinsonian speech disorders. A total of 25 variables and descriptions for each variable across phonatory, resonatory, and articulatory dimensions were included in the rating scale. The descriptive parts of each variable could increase the objectivity of the rating scale.