Development of a diagnostic tool for children with autism spectrum disorder based on preverbal vocalization using speech synthesis technology

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01556
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: University of Miyazaki
• Principal Investigator: Nakai Yasushi 宮崎大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (80462050)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 大歳 太郎 関西医療大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (40336483)
• Research Collaborator: TAKADA Satoshi ; TAKIGUCHI Tetsuya
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 自閉スペクトラム症 / 音声合成 / 診断ツール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The qualitative elements of speech are collectively called prosody. Prosody abnormalities are observed in the speech of children with autistic spectrum disorder. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use speech synthesis technology to quantitatively characterize prosody abnormalities in children with autism spectrum disorder. The outcome of this study is to quantify some of the prosody abnormalities of speech in children with autism spectrum disorder. The results of this study were published in an international journal. This suggests that accumulating the methods and techniques that this research has been working on may lead to the development of ultra-early diagnostic tools for children with autism spectrum disorders based on prosody abnormalities.

Free Research Field

人間医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

自閉スペクトラム症児のプロソディ異常のパターンの一端を定量的に示すことができた。これにより、これまで人間の聴覚による主観的評価に基づいていた知見が客観的に支持された。また、自閉スペクトラム症児に限らず、定型発達児も含め、言語発達の評価方法について、従来の量的側面を重視したものから、新たな質的側面を重視したものの重要性を示唆した。