Exploring Agreement in Voice Acoustic Parameters: A Repeated Measures Case Study Across Varied Recording Instruments, Speech Samples, and Daily Timeframes.

Aims: The aim was to assess the agreement between microphone-derived and neck accelerometer-derived voice acoustic parameters and their associations with recording moments and speech types.

Methods: Using simultaneous recordings, a 7-week study on a single individual was conducted to reduce intersubject variability. Agreement was assessed using Bland-Altman plots, and associations were examined with generalized estimating equations.

Results: Bland-Altman plots showed no significant bias between microphone (MIC) and accelerometer (ACC) measurements for alpha ratio, CPP, PPE, SPL SD, fundamental frequency (fo) mean, and SD. Speech type and measurement timing were significantly associated with alpha ratio, while the instrument was not. Microphone measurements resulted in slightly lower CPP compared to the accelerometer, while reading samples yielded higher CPP compared to vowel productions. PPE, SPL SD, and fo mean showed significant associations with speech type, based on univariate analysis. Microphone measurements yielded a statistically smaller fo SD compared to the accelerometer, while reading productions had a larger fo SD than vowel productions.

Conclusion: Fundamental frequency, alpha ratio, PPE, and SPL SD values were robust, regardless of the instrument used, suggesting the potential use of accelerometers in less-controlled environments. These findings are crucial for enhancing confidence in voice metrics and exploring efficient clinical assessment protocols.