Evaluation of vocal changes and quality of life in transgender patients undergoing hormonal treatment

Purpose: Voice constitutes a crucial marker of gender identity, and its congruence with an individual’s identified gender can exert a profound influence on psychological well-being. This study outlines a protocol for the assessment of vocal changes and quality of life during the first six months of hormone therapy in transgender individuals. Methods: Acoustic vocal parameters will be analyzed using PRAAT software and the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program. In addition, a dedicated questionnaire, the Transgender Self-Evaluation Questionnaire, was administered to evaluate quality of life in relation to voice perception. Results: The findings suggest that the integration of objective acoustic measures and subjective self-assessment tools enables a comprehensive evaluation of the vocal transition in transgender individuals and underscores the effectiveness of hormone therapy. The results of the self-assessment questionnaire are consistent with the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of hormone therapy. Conclusion: The integration of objective acoustic measures and subjective self-assessment tools allows for a comprehensive evaluation of vocal transition in transgender individuals and highlights the effectiveness of hormone therapy. Furthermore, comparison of objective parameters between transgender men and cisgender women suggests that differences in articulation of the mouth and tongue may be observed even prior hormone therapy in assigned female at birth individuals.