Speaking F-0 characteristics of elderly Euro-American and African-Americanspeakers: building a clinical comparative platform

This study sought to describe speaking fundamental frequency characteristic s of elderly Euro-American and African-American individuals and to explore the effects of ethnicity and ageing on vocal parameters of speech productio n. Speech samples from 42 elderly Euro-American and 37 elderly African-Amer ican individuals (age range: 70-80 years) were compared on measures of mean speaking fundamental frequency (F-0), maximum and minimum speaking F-0, sp eaking F-0 standard deviation (F-0 SD), and speaking F-0 range (in semitone s). Elderly African-American females had significantly lower mean speaking F-0 and speaking F-0 SD than their Euro-American cohorts. Results indicate that researchers need to improve the clinical database for speakers from no n-Euro-American backgrounds, and speech-language pathologists must exercise discretion when assessing the speaking F-0 and other speech characteristic s of elderly individuals from different ethnic groups.