A 3-Year Longitudinal Study of School-Aged Children's Fundamental Frequencies

Abstract

This report describes the longitudinal changes that took place in the average fundamental frequencies (f_o) of 25 boys and girls over a 3-year period (x age range = 8:2–11:2). Results showed that developmental changes in the central tendency of f_o can be detected over a 1-year period. For the group, the amount of decrease per 12-month interval averaged about 12 Hz, with a standard deviation of about 8 Hz. Cross-sectional observations of 7-11-year-old children's fundamental frequency characteristics do not reflect accurately the developmental course of f_o, in large part because the between-subject standard deviations are larger than the age-related changes that occur in children's voices at this stage of development.