• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2013

During adolescence the mutational period is characterized by the changes in the laryngeal structure, the length of the vocal cords, and a tone of voice. Usually, adolescents at 15 or 16 reach the voice of adults but the mutational period is sometimes delayed. Therefore, studies on the voice of adolescents between 16 ~ 18 right after the mutational period are required. Accordingly, this paper attempted to provide basic data about the normal standard for patients with voice disorders during this period by evaluating the vocal characteristics of males and females between 16 ~ 18 with an objective device bycomparing and analyzing them by sex and age. The study was conducted on a total of 60 subjects composed of each 10 subjects of each age. The vocal analysis was conducted by MPT (Maximum Phonation Time) measurement, sustained vowels and sentence reading. As for /a/ sustained vowels, fundamental frequency, hereinafter referred to as $F_0$, jitter, shimmer, noise-to-harmonic ratio, hereinafter referred to as NHR were measured by using the Multi-dimensional voice program (MDVP) among the Multi-Speech program of Computerized Speech Lab (Kay Elemetrics). The sentence reading, mean $F_0$, maximum $F_0$ and minimum $F_0$ were measured using the Real-Time Pitch (RTP) Model 5121 among the Multi-Speech program of Computerized Speech Lab (Kay Elemetrics). As a result, according to sex, there were statistically significant differences in $F_0$, jitter, shimmer, mean $F_0$, maximum $F_0$, and minimum $F_0$; and according to age, there were statistically significant differences in MPT. In conclusion, the voice of the adolescents between 16 ~ 18 reached the maturity levels of adults but the voice quality which can be considered on the scale of voice disorders showed transition to the voice of an adult during the mutational period.