Variability of Voice Fundamental Frequency in Elderly Female Speakers

Abstract

Three groups of women, of mean age 21, 72, and 84 yr. (ns = 34, 17, 17), were tape-recorded while describing the "Cookie Thief" picture of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Test. Voice fundamental frequency (fo) was measured for a 30-sec. sample from the middle of their descriptions. Analysis showed that the two elderly groups' mean fo was significantly lower than the younger females', but no differences between means were significant for the older groups. Similar findings were obtained for variability of performance. Also, the older groups were more restricted in their vocal maneuvering below their average fo. Compared to past findings showing greater fo variability during reading, the current data suggest that the magnitude of variability of fo in elderly women is dependent upon both the vocal parameters measured and the method used to obtain the data.

Changes in Speaking Fundamental Frequency Characteristics with Aging

“…Consistent with a large number of previous reports [3,4,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] , our results showed that SFF in females decreases in association with aging. However, the range of decrease in SFF was larger than conventionally reported.…”

“…The results of previous studies are highly consistent in that SFF decreased with advancing age [3,4,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] . However, considerable differences are seen in the degree of change in SFF associated with aging among investigators.…”

“…Stoicheff [12] , Pegoraro Krook [4] , Morgan and Rastatter [3] , and Awan [16] reported that female SFF decreases with age, but tends to increase transiently in the 70s or 80s. However, such a tendency was not observed in the present study, as female SFF decreased with age in a onedirectional manner.…”

“…However, considerable differences are seen in the degree of change in SFF associated with aging among investigators. Stoicheff [12] , Morgan and Rastatter [3] , Pegoraro Krook [4] , and Awan [16] reported that SFF decreases in the 40s-60s, then slightly increases again above the age of 70. Thus, consensus has not been achieved with respect to some aspects of SFF and its relationship to age in males and females, and further studies are still needed.…”

Valeurs de certains paramètres prosodiques obtenues auprès de sujets francophones sans trouble de la communication

“…Benja min [22] observe une augmentation de la variation de la fréquence fondamentale avec l'âge chez les hommes et les femmes, tandis que Morgan et Rastatter [23] constatent l'in verse chez des femmes âgées par rapport à des femmes plus jeunes. Par ailleurs, on sait que la fréquence fondamentale à la tin d'une phrase interrogative est plus élevée que celle de la fin d'une phrase déclarative [24] surtout s'il s'agit d'interrogatives non marquées gram maticalement [25].…”