Acoustic-articulatory configuration of women with vocal nodules and with healthy voice

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To analyze the acoustic-articulatory configuration of vowels in women with vocal nodules and with healthy voice.

Methods

Twelve women with vocal nodules (EG) and twelve vocally health women (CG) participated of this study. All women recorded vehicle phrases with the vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/ in stress position, preceded and followed by the occlusive consonant /p/: “Digo papa baixinho”, “Digo pipa baixinho”, and “Digo pupa baixinho”. Subsequently, the first three formants (F1, F2, and F3) were extracted from these vowel targets.

Results

Between the two groups studied, F1 measures differed for vowels /a/ and /u/, and F2 measures differed for the vowel /a/. Women with vocal nodules showed lower values for these measures compared to vocally healthy women. Patients with vocal nodules showed a smaller interval in F1 and F2 values between vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/ compared to vocally healthy women.

Conclusion

Women with vocal nodules show lower F1 and F2 values and lower range of motion of the articulators during vowel production compared to vocally healthy women.

Keywords
Voice; Larynx; Voice Disorders; Acoustics; Women