Landmark-based analysis of speech differentiates conversational from clear speech in speakers with muscle tension dysphonia

Abstract

This study evaluated the feasibility of differentiating conversational and clear speech produced by individuals with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) using Landmark-Based Analysis of Speech (LMBAS). Thirty-four adult speakers with MTD recorded conversational and clear speech. Of those, 27 speakers were able to produce clear speech. The recordings of these individuals were analyzed with an open-source LMBAS program, SpeechMark®, MATLAB Toolbox ver. 1.1.2.The mixed-effect logistic regression model indicated that the burst-onset landmark differentiated conversational speech from clear speech. The LMBAS is a potential approach for detecting the difference between conversational and clear speech in individuals with mild to moderate MTD.