Exploring the Role of Outcome Predictors in Gender-Affirming Voice Care for Transgender Women.

Purpose: Gender-affirming voice care for transgender women has seen significant advancements, with researchers exploring the acoustic and perceptual outcomes of various interventions. This study aimed to explore possible outcome predictors in a gender-affirming voice training program for transgender women.

Method: This study included 30 transgender women who completed 10 weeks of gender-affirming voice training. Participant-reported outcomes, listener perceptions of femininity of the voice, and acoustic measures were assessed before and after the training. Potential outcome predictors, such as age, musicality, and home exercise, were analyzed using linear regression models.

Results: While the regression models lacked statistical significance, the data suggested some trends. Younger participants and those with higher musicality scores showed greater improvements in voice femininity, as perceived by listeners and self-reported by the participants. An explorative model of musicality and home exercise, also explained a small portion of variance in listener perception changes.

Conclusions: Future research with larger samples is needed to better understand these relationships. The findings suggest clinicians should consider personalized approaches, assessing musicality, setting age-appropriate expectations, and emphasizing home practice to optimize gender-affirming voice training results.