The investigators hypothesize that the mobile application they developed for transgender and gender diverse individuals (TGGD) will be equivalent or better than traditional speech therapy in improving voice quality. The investigators will measure both how the participants feel about their voices and how their voice actually sounds to see if the app is effective.
The ultimate objective of this study is to use Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods to develop an effective user-friendly, health literate, inclusive and accessible mobile application (app) to improve access to gender affirming voice modification training for transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) individuals. The immediate objectives are to understand the needs of TGGD individuals in voice care,and identify barriers to creating a pilot app with evidence-based educational content for VCMT and to evaluate subjective and objective voice outcomes of TGGD participants with app use compared to standard behavioral intervention with a speech pathologist.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
50
Subjects will undergo voice and communication modification therapy via the Attuned application. This consists of an 11 week program consisting of different modules to learn how to modify voice (e.g., pitch, intonation, resonance). At the end of each module, participants will be given exercises to practice what they learned.
Subjects will undergo standard of care in-person voice modification therapy at Ithaca College.
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York, United States
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, New York, United States
Change in Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQ) Scores
The Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQ) is a 30-item questionnaire that assesses self-perception of voice in transgender individuals. Responses range from (1) rarely or never to (4) usually or always. Scores range from 30 (no perceived voice difficulty) to 120 (high perceived voice difficulty).
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 11
Change in Transgender Self Evaluation Questionnaire (TSEQ) Scores
The Transgender Self Evaluation Questionnaire (TSEQ) is a 30-item questionnaire that assesses self perception in transgender and gender diverse individuals. Responses range from (1) never (4) always. Scores range from 30 (low voice satisfaction) to 120 (high voice satisfaction)
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 11
Change in Fundamental Frequency
The acoustic measure fundamental frequency will be obtained by analyzing participant's voice recordings via multi-speech acoustic analyses program of Kay-Pentax
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 11
Change in Formants
The acoustic measure formants will be obtained by analyzing participant's voice recordings via multi-speech acoustic analyses program of Kay-Pentax
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 11
Usability of Mobile Application as measured by the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS)
The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) is a 19-item scale that allows app users to rate the usability of a mobile application. Responses range from 1 (inadequate) to 5 (excellent). Scores range from 19-95 with a score of 19 corresponding to a poor and inadequate app and 95 of an excellent apps with great usability.
Time frame: Week 11
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