Benefits of Gender-Affirming Voice and Communication Training for Young People.

Abstract

Purpose: Gender-affirming voice training is an important service for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals who wish to modify their voice to be more congruent with their gender identity. For decades, the research in this area has focused on adults, yet TGD young people also receive these services regularly. The purpose of this study was to analyze patient-reported outcomes in TGD young people who completed voice training.

Methods: This study consisted of a retrospective chart review of 118 TGD individuals ages 11 to 23 years old who were seen at a university clinic between 2019 and 2024. We assessed voice outcomes with the Utah Gender Presentation Scale for Communication (U-GPS), the Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire (TWVQ), and acoustic measures. These data were compared before and after voice training.

Results: Data were available for 68 clients who completed voice training. There were significant improvements in gender congruence by the end of treatment (t = 15.918; p < 0.001) with a median reduction of 32 points on the U-GPS. The trans female clients had significant improvements in voice-related quality of life (t = 12.072; p < 0.001) with a median reduction of 23 points on the TWVQ. Acoustic data show that speaking fundamental frequency (f0) was more aligned with clients' gender by the end of voice training.

Conclusion: This article is the first to demonstrate the benefits of voice training for TGD young people. This population warrants special attention in the literature, and further research should evaluate specific treatment protocols and associated outcomes for young people.