Novel Delivery Method of Transgender Voice Therapy Using a Mobile Application

Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM)

Status: Begins enrollment in 9 months

Conditions: Transitioning Voice of Transgender and Gender Diverse People

Treatments: Other: Attuned: A mobile application; Other: In-Person Voice Modification Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05815810

21-12024240

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full description

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.

Enrollment: 50 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Identify as a transgender individual
• Be 18 years or older
• Be able to read and write in English
• Have an iOS or Android Device

Exclusion criteria

• Identify as cisgender
• Experience hoarseness
• Experiencing any physical pain related to voice use

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

Transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) individuals using the pilot app

Experimental group

Description:

The investigators will develop Attuned, an open access voice and communication modification training (VCMT) app based on standard of care. Participants will undergo VCMT via the mobile application, Attuned. Participants will include healthy transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) individuals seeking voice modification to better reflect their identity.

Treatment:

Other: Attuned: A mobile application

Transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) individuals receiving standard voice modification

Active Comparator group

Description:

VCMT via speech pathology will be compared to the efficacy of an app-based VCMT program. Participants will undergo VCMT in-person. Participants will include healthy transgender and gender diverse (TGGD) individuals seeking voice modification to better reflect their identity.

Treatment:

Other: In-Person Voice Modification Therapy