Inferring Speaker Attributes in Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia: Ratings From Unfamiliar Listeners
Publication: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Volume 23, Number 2
Pages 134-145
Abstract
Purpose
To determine whether unfamiliar listeners' perceptions of speakers with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) differ from control speakers on the parameters of relative age, confidence, tearfulness, and vocal effort and are related to speaker-rated vocal effort or voice-specific quality of life.
Method
Twenty speakers with ADSD (including 6 speakers with ADSD plus tremor) and 20 age- and sex-matched controls provided speech recordings, completed a voice-specific quality-of-life instrument (Voice Handicap Index; Jacobson et al., 1997), and rated their own vocal effort. Twenty listeners evaluated speech samples for relative age, confidence, tearfulness, and vocal effort using rating scales.
Results
Listeners judged speakers with ADSD as sounding significantly older, less confident, more tearful, and more effortful than control speakers (p < .01). Increased vocal effort was strongly associated with decreased speaker confidence (rs = .88–.89) and sounding more tearful (rs = .83–.85). Self-rated speaker effort was moderately related (rs = .45–.52) to listener impressions. Listeners' perceptions of confidence and tearfulness were also moderately associated with higher Voice Handicap Index scores (rs = .65–.70).
Conclusion
Unfamiliar listeners judge speakers with ADSD more negatively than control speakers, with judgments extending beyond typical clinical measures. The results have implications for counseling and understanding the psychosocial effects of ADSD.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
Volume 23 • Number 2 • May 2014
Pages: 134-145
PubMed: 24686338
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
History
- Received: Jan 27, 2013
- Revised: Jul 26, 2013
- Accepted: Nov 26, 2013
- Published in issue: May 1, 2014
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