Date of Award

2026-05-01

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Speech Language Pathology

Advisor(s)

Patricia Lara

Abstract

Transgender individuals frequently encounter barriers to accessing gender-affirming healthcare, particularly within marginalized borderland communities. Communication-based gender affirmation, including voice therapy and nonverbal communication training, remains an underexplored yet essential component of transgender health and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of gender-affirming communication services on voice-gender congruence and life satisfaction among transgender individuals living in the U.S.-Mexico borderland region. A single-subject experimental design (ABAB) was implemented with six participants initially enrolled in the study. Four participants completed all intervention phases and were included in final analysis. Intervention consisted of individualized gender-affirming communication services targeting pitch modification, resonance, prosody, articulation, and nonverbal communication behaviors. Quantitative outcome measures included weekly self-reported ratings using the Utah Gender Presentation Scale (U-GPS), acoustic analysis of mean fundamental frequency (f₀) during structured and spontaneous speech tasks, and pre- and post-intervention assessment using the Gender Congruence and Life Satisfaction Scale (GCLS). Qualitative data were obtained through clinician SOAP notes and participant feedback. Visual analysis indicated overall trends toward improvement in acoustic pitch production and perceived voice-gender congruence following the introduction of intervention, with variability observed across participants and partial regression during withdrawal phases. Psychosocial findings suggested increased communication confidence and perceived alignment between gender identity and vocal presentation for several participants. Changes in GCLS scores were modest across participants but supported the functional relevance of communication-based gender affirmation. These findings provide preliminary evidence that gender-affirming communication services may contribute to improved vocal self-expression and life satisfaction among transgender individuals in underserved borderland communities. Results highlight the importance of culturally responsive service delivery, individualized intervention planning, and continued research to expand access to gender-affirming communication support within speech-language pathology practice.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

50 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Kimberley Ramirez

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