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Modelling Loudness: Acoustic And Perceptual Correlates In The Context Of Hypophonia In Parkinson’S Disease, Daryn Amory Cushnie-Sparrow

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hypophonia (quiet speech) is a common speech symptom associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and is associated with reduced intelligibility, communicative effectiveness, and communicative participation. Studies of hypophonia commonly employ average speech intensity as the primary dependent measure, which may not entirely capture loudness deficits. Loudness may also be affected by the frequency components of speech (i.e. spectral balance) and speech level variability. The present investigation examined relationships between perceived loudness and intelligibility with acoustic measures of loudness, speech intensity, and spectral distribution in individuals with hypophonia secondary to Parkinson’s disease (IWPDs) and neurologically healthy older adults (HOAs).

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Changes In Speech Intelligibility And Acoustic Distinctiveness Along A Speech Rate Continuum In Parkinson’S Disease, Thea Knowles

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Asking a person to speak slowly is a common technique in speech therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Slowed speaking rates are thought to bring about changes in speech production that make it easier for people with speech impairments associated with PD to be understood, but this is not always the case. Furthermore, research suggests that using faster speech does not necessarily lead to decreases in speech intelligibility for some people with PD. Most studies of rate modification in PD have only included one or two rate adjustments to investigate the relationship between speech rate, intelligibility, and acoustic aspects …