Citation

Oziemski S, Anisimowicz A. Wiad. Psychiatr. 2006; 9(3): 199-203.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

In spite of wide prevalence of depression among the population and its increasing tendency triggered by population aging, suicide risk evaluation competence among physicians fails to meet satisfactory standards. Suicide is reported to be the eight most common cause of death, and the second among young population. Arising difficulties of risk evaluation are above all due to the lack of clear and evidence based objectives. Formulation of standarised psychophysiological indicators for suicide risk evaluation would be an assistance of great value. Some analytic techniques developed by behavioral sciences based on non-verbal expression have proved adequate measures of emotional signals processing. Emotional expression has been successfully depicted by facial expression analysis (Ekmans FACS) and physical analysis of speech sound wave. Quoted empirical data imply that depressive speech is monotonous, 'metallic' and 'dull'. Those features have been described in terms of physical properties of speech sound wave: base frequency, amplitude, pauses, range, mean and Fo kurtosis. Those proved to predict depression diagnosis, change in course of therapy and differ between groups in depressive; depressive-suicidal and no-clinical samples. Research on Polish sample of subjects seems crucial to determine psychophysiological predictors which could then be applied as standards in affective disorders diagnosis, therapy evaluation and suicide risk evaluation. © 2006 by Elsevier Urban & Partner.

Language: pl

Keywords

Depression; Acoustic parameters of speech