School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 29;11(1):23093. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02487-6.
In this systematic review, we analyzed and evaluated the findings of studies on prosodic features of vocal productions of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to recognize the statistically significant, most confirmed and reliable prosodic differences distinguishing people with ASD from typically developing individuals. Using suitable keywords, three major databases including Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus, were searched. The results for prosodic features such as mean pitch, pitch range and variability, speech rate, intensity and voice duration were extracted from eligible studies. The pooled standard mean difference between ASD and control groups was extracted or calculated. Using I statistic and Cochrane Q-test, between-study heterogeneity was evaluated. Furthermore, publication bias was assessed using funnel plot and its significance was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's tests. Thirty-nine eligible studies were retrieved (including 910 and 850 participants for ASD and control groups, respectively). This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that ASD group members had a significantly larger mean pitch (SMD = - 0.4, 95% CI [- 0.70, - 0.10]), larger pitch range (SMD = - 0.78, 95% CI [- 1.34, - 0.21]), longer voice duration (SMD = - 0.43, 95% CI [- 0.72, - 0.15]), and larger pitch variability (SMD = - 0.46, 95% CI [- 0.84, - 0.08]), compared with typically developing control group. However, no significant differences in pitch standard deviation, voice intensity and speech rate were found between groups. Chronological age of participants and voice elicitation tasks were two sources of between-study heterogeneity. Furthermore, no publication bias was observed during analyses (p > 0.05). Mean pitch, pitch range, pitch variability and voice duration were recognized as the prosodic features reliably distinguishing people with ASD from TD individuals.
在这项系统评价中，我们分析和评估了关于自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）患者发声的韵律特征的研究结果，以便识别区分 ASD 患者和正常发育个体的具有统计学意义、最被确认和最可靠的韵律差异。使用合适的关键词，在三个主要数据库（Web of Science、PubMed 和 Scopus）中进行了搜索。从合格的研究中提取了韵律特征的结果，例如平均音高、音高范围和可变性、语速、强度和语音持续时间。从 ASD 和对照组中提取或计算了合并的标准均数差值。使用 I 统计量和 Cochrane Q 检验评估了组间异质性。此外，使用漏斗图评估发表偏倚，并使用 Egger 和 Begg 检验评估其显著性。检索到 39 项合格的研究（包括 ASD 组和对照组分别为 910 名和 850 名参与者）。这项系统评价和荟萃分析表明，ASD 组的成员具有明显更大的平均音高（SMD=-0.4，95%CI[-0.70，-0.10]）、更大的音高范围（SMD=-0.78，95%CI[-1.34，-0.21]）、更长的语音持续时间（SMD=-0.43，95%CI[-0.72，-0.15]）和更大的音高可变性（SMD=-0.46，95%CI[-0.84，-0.08]），与正常发育的对照组相比。然而，组间在音高标准偏差、语音强度和语速方面没有发现显著差异。参与者的年龄和语音诱发任务是组间异质性的两个来源。此外，在分析过程中没有观察到发表偏倚（p>0.05）。平均音高、音高范围、音高可变性和语音持续时间被认为是可靠地区分 ASD 患者和 TD 个体的韵律特征。
