Acoustic Voice Analysis in Postlingual Deaf Adult Cochlear Implant Users: A Within-Group Comparison Study.

OBJECTIVES

Cochlear implantation (CI) improves the quality of voice and speech output. However, there are various factors that may interfere with the use of CI to accede desirable voice outcomes. The primary aim of the current study was first to measure three acoustic voice outcomes in postlingual deaf adult CI users who were Persian-speaking, and then, to compare these according to surgery- and auditory-related factors. Of interest was also to determine whether these acoustic measures were influenced by surgery- and auditory-related factors.

METHODS

A number of 113 postlingual deaf adults with CI were recruited. The voice samples were recorded in the same silent room to equalize the noise of the environment. The measures of interest were analyzed with the Praat software.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that time duration of CI use (P ≤ 0.008), pattern of deafness onset (P ≤ 0.011), and the interaction between them (P ≤ 0.022) significantly affected all vocal parameters. This means that the quality of voice was significantly better in the participants using CI for more than 2 years than in those using CIs for less than 2 years. On the other hand, patients suffering sudden postlingual deafness for less than 2 years had the best acoustic voice parameters compared with those suffering gradual postlingual deafness for more than 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the surgery- and auditory-related factors could be the reason for changes of voice parameters in postlingual deaf adult CI users.