Clinical Considerations in Speech and Language Therapy in Turkish Transgender Population

Transgender people aim to increase and improve their quality of life by demanding voice and communication intervention services, however clinical recommendations regarding assessment and intervention in the transgender population are based on others' practice, experiences, assumptions. The present study aims to give clinical considerations in speech and language therapy for transgender populations.

Thirty-one transgender subjects were taken in to the present study after applying exclusion criteria. Participants were excluded: • If they do not define themselves as transgendered and have not taken part in any reassignment of gender procedure and also they do not want to take part in any gender procedures. The participants were given a survey, which included questions related to demographic information, procedures during transition process, priorities regarding to voice and nonverbal communication and as a final part awareness and knowledge in speech and language therapy.

Transgender people had benefited from many procedures and/or approaches during their transition process from hormone therapy to voice surgery. Participants stated that pitch was the most important vocal quality among others (41.9%) while facial expression (38.7%) was the most important one among other nonverbal communication skills. None of the participants had speech and language therapy sessions during their transition process. With regards to awareness of speech and language therapy services, 17 of the participants (54.8%) said they did not know that they could apply for the services. Twelve participants (38.7%) reported that they were aware of the services and they could apply in order to change their voice characteristics, nine participants (29%) informed that they could see a speech and language therapist for nonverbal communication skills while seven participants (22.6%) said it was for social language use. The participants who knew about speech and language therapy had knowledge about the therapy services via online resources.

Transgender participants are not aware of speech and language therapy services in Turkey.