The Effect of Perceptual Training on the Reliability of Voice Quality Evaluation

Lee, Young-a; Kim, Hyung-Tae; Kim, Jaeock

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2010;15(4): 526-536.

Young-a Lee^` , Hyung-Tae Kim^` , and Jaeock Kim^`

이영아(Young-a Lee)|김형태(Hyung-Tae Kim)|김재옥(Jaeock Kim)

ABSTRACT

Background & Objectives
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of perceptual training on the reliability of voice quality evaluation by graduate students in a speech pathology program.
Methods
Sixty voice samples were selected from a database by 2 qualified SLPs. Samples included 40 test stimuli and 20 training stimuli of both sustained vowels and connected speech. Thirty graduate students in a speech pathology program were trained for 2 weeks. For training, the students were provided with the definitions of rating dimensions and perceptually evaluated 20 training stimuli with the GRBAS scale. Then, the students were given feedback on their ratings. Before and after the training, the students evaluated voice quality in 30 dysphonic voices and 10 normal voices using the GRBAS scale. A matched, paired 2-sample t-test was calculated to determine if there was a difference between pre- and post-training reliability values. Intra-rater reliability was calculated from the randomly selected 15% samples throughout the testing block. Additionally, inter-rater reliability was calculated using Intraclass correlation coefficients.
Results
The pre- and post-training results were significantly different. Intra-rater reliability and inter-reliability were also significantly increased post-training.
Discussion & Conclusion
Perceptual rating to evaluate voice quality is a subjective method that requires sufficient training. Therefore, the use of perceptual anchors and a perceptual training program for reliable perceptual rating should be developed.