Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy Duration and Satisfaction: Experiences from a Single Institution

Area of Science:

• Laryngology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Gender-Affirming Care

Background:

• Limited current literature exists on gender-affirming voice therapy (GAVT).
• This study addresses the need for data on GAVT treatment duration and patient satisfaction.
• Understanding GAVT outcomes is vital for optimizing care for transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe treatment duration and patient satisfaction in gender-affirming voice therapy (GAVT).
• To analyze outcomes of GAVT at a single tertiary laryngology center.
• To provide insights into the expected number of sessions and patient experiences with GAVT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study at a tertiary laryngology center.
• Included 82 transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) patients undergoing GAVT.
• Collected data included demographics, GAVT session frequency, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), and satisfaction assessments.

Main Results:

• Patients received a mean of 5.7 GAVT sessions, often biweekly or monthly.
• 62% of patients reported satisfaction or very high satisfaction with GAVT outcomes.
• Speech-language pathologist (SLP) assessments showed variable responses, with many patients progressing well and some referred for surgical consideration (e.g., Wendler glottoplasty).

Conclusions:

• Gender-affirming voice therapy is integral to gender-affirming care and typically requires more sessions than for other voice disorders.
• Setting realistic expectations for GAVT duration is essential for patients, clinicians, and payors.
• Further research and standardized outcome measures for GAVT are warranted.