Voice, Articulation, and Prosody Contribute to Listener Perceptions of Speaker Gender: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide a systematic review of the aspects of verbal communication contributing to listener perceptions of speaker gender with a view to providing clinicians with guidance for the selection of the training goals when working with transsexual individuals. Method: Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines were adopted in this systematic review. Studies evaluating the contribution of aspects of verbal communication to listener perceptions of speaker gender were rated against a new risk of bias assessment tool. Relevant data were extracted, and narrative synthesis was then conducted. Meta-analyses were conducted when appropriate data were available. Results: Thirty-eight articles met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis showed speaking fundamental frequency contributing to 41.6% of the variance in gender perception. Auditory-perceptual and acoustic measures of pitch, resonance, loudness, articulation, and intonation were found to be associated with listeners' perceptions of speaker gender. Tempo and stress were not significantly associated. Mixed findings were found as to the contribution of a breathy voice quality to gender perception. Nonetheless, there exists significant risk of bias in this body of research. Conclusions: Speech and language clinicians working with transsexual individuals may use the results of this review for goal setting. Further research is required to redress the significant risk of bias.

[Voice and identity in transsexuality]. / Stimme und Identität bei Transsexualität.

For the self-acceptance and social approval of transsexuals in their new identity, the voice plays a very important role. The responsibility of the phoniatrician and voice therapist is to identify in advance what type of voice change options are possible. These can either be achieved by more conservative means or through operative procedures. Whether to undergo speech therapy or perform a laryngeal surgical intervention should be discussed with the patient and determined on an individual basis.

Sexual desire in female-to-male transsexual persons: exploration of the role of testosterone administration.

OBJECTIVE: To describe sexual desire in female-to-male transsexual persons post sex reassignment surgery (SRS). The associations between serum androgen levels and sexual desire are examined. DESIGN: Single center cross-sectional study. METHODS: Forty-five female-to-male transsexual persons post SRS completed a standardized questionnaire assessing sexual desire (Sexual Desire Inventory). In addition, participants were asked questions on sexual desire before starting hormone treatment and having SRS. Serum levels of testosterone, LH and sex hormone-binding globulin were measured on fasting morning serum samples. RESULTS: In retrospect, 73.9% of the participants reported an increase in sexual desire after hormone treatment and SRS. Solitary sexual desire scores were significantly correlated with frequency of masturbation (r=0.835; P<0.001), whereas frequency of sexual intercourse with a partner was not. No direct associations were found between testosterone and solitary or dyadic sexual desire. However, ANOVA showed an independent effect of LH on solitary sexual desire (P<0.001). Post hoc analysis revealed that female-to-male transsexual persons with elevated levels of LH, indicating suboptimal testosterone therapy, reported significantly lower solitary sexual desire levels (than those with low LH levels; P=0.007). Suppressed LH levels were also associated with having a higher need for sexual activities (P=0.009) and a higher frequency of excessive sexual desire (P=0.007). CONCLUSION: Most female-to-male transsexual persons report on a marked increase in sexual desire after testosterone treatment and SRS. No direct associations between levels of testosterone and solitary or dyadic sexual desire were found. However, measures of sexual desire were inversely associated with LH levels.

Quality of life 15 years after sex reassignment surgery for transsexualism.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quality of life and patients' satisfaction in transsexual patients (TS) after sex reassignment operation compared with healthy controls. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: A tertiary referral center. PATIENT(S): Patients after sex reassignment operation were compared with a similar group of healthy controls in respect to quality of life and general satisfaction. INTERVENTION(S): For quality of life we used the King's Health Questionnaire, which was distributed to the patients and to the control group. Visual analogue scale was used for the determination of satisfaction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Main outcome measures were quality of life and satisfaction. RESULT(S): Fifty-five transsexuals participated in this study. Fifty-two were male-to-female and 3 female-to-male. Quality of life as determined by the King's Health Questionnaire was significantly lower in general health, personal, physical and role limitations. Patients' satisfaction was significantly lower compared with controls. Emotions, sleep, and incontinence impact as well as symptom severity is similar to controls. Overall satisfaction was statistically significant lower in TS compared with controls. CONCLUSION(S): Fifteen years after sex reassignment operation quality of life is lower in the domains general health, role limitation, physical limitation, and personal limitation.

Atenção integral à saúde e diversidade sexual no Processo Transexualizador do SUS: avanços, impasses, desafios / Comprehensiveness and sexual diversity in the Brazilian norm in the process of health care for transsexuals: progress, dilemmas, challenges

A publicação da norma sobre o Processo Transexualizador no SUS, apesar de refletir importante conquista do segmento populacional de transexuais, denuncia a complexidade do avanço dos direitos sexuais no campo da Saúde Coletiva. O artigo tem por objetivo a consideração crítica dos avanços, impasses e desafios na instituição dessa política pública de saúde, discutindo a ambivalência no processo de construção da norma técnica. Resgata duas correntes paralelas de inserção do debate sobre saúde de transexuais no Ministério da Saúde: a judicialização e o compromisso com o programa de governo Brasil sem Homofobia. Sinaliza a qualidade parcial do avanço conquistado pela publicação da norma, já que estabeleceu, ao mesmo tempo em que afirmou o direito à saúde para transexuais, campos de exclusão para possíveis beneficiários das mesmas ações de saúde previstas, especificamente as travestis. A hipótese sustentada é a da incidência da heteronormatividade e do binarismo de gênero como fator limitador da democratização dessa política de saúde.

The Brazilian norm that establishes the conditions for the health care for transsexuals, despite reflecting important achievements of this population, reveals the complexity of the advancement of sexual rights in the field of public health. This paper aims to review the advances, challenges and dilemmas in the establishment of this public health policy, discussing the ambivalence in the process of building the technical standard. It releases two parallel chains of the inclusion of the debate about transgender health care in the Health Ministry: the judicialization and the committment with the government program "Brazil without Homophobia". It indicates the partial progress achieved by the publication of the standard, as it established exclusion areas for potential beneficiaries of the same set of health actions, specifically the transvestites, at the same time it stated the right to health care for transsexuals. The hypothesis sustained is that heteronormativity and the binary of gender work as limiting factors for the democratization of the health policy.

Speech rate in males, females, and male-to-female transsexuals.

For clinicians treating transsexual clients it is important to address primarily those characteristics whose modification is most relevant to the creation of the desired gender presentation. The present study investigated the extent to which a modification of speech rate is warranted in male-to-female transsexuals. Comparison of speech rate measured in 100 non-transsexual males, 100 non-transsexual females, and 28 individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of male-to-female gender dysphoria showed no significant differences. This result suggests that a modification of overall speech rate in male-to-female transsexuals is not really indicated but does not exclude that speech rate in males and females is perceived differently by listeners or that gender differences exist in temporal aspects of speech at a micro-level.

Laser-assisted voice adjustment (LAVA) in transsexuals.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate results of laser-assisted voice adjustment (LAVA) surgery in male-to-female (MTF) transsexual patients with androphonia. METHODS: The authors conducted a prospective case-control study of MTFs who underwent CO2 laser vocal fold vaporization between 1997 and 2003. Thirty-one patients were self-referred for voice feminization. Pre- and postoperative evaluations were completed. Patients' voices were recorded to obtain Fo before and after surgery. Voice Handicap Index (VHI) questionnaires were completed by post-LAVA patients. A panel of blinded listeners identified patients as male or female based on samples of connected speech recorded over the telephone. RESULTS: Mean follow-up (23 weeks) revealed pitch increases averaging 26 Hz. Self-evaluations revealed increases in voice femininity, congruity with self-image, and satisfaction. However, the evaluations also showed decreased vocal quality, loudness, and vocal range. Mean VHI was consistent with VHI scores associated with Reinke's edema. Six of 10 patients were consistently perceived as female. CONCLUSION: LAVA provides a conservative treatment for androphonia. Postoperative voice therapy may optimize outcomes.

Efficacy of conservative voice treatment in male-to-female transsexuals.

A voice assessment was performed before and after conservative voice treatment in 3 male-to-female transsexuals and in 2 nontreated transsexuals serving as control persons. The characteristics studied were voice quality, habitual speaking pitch, vocal pitch range, vocal intensity range, maximum phonation time and 'communicative impairment', a subjective self-estimation by the patient. Based on these parameters the Friedrich dysphonia index (DI) was calculated. The habitual speaking pitch of the 3 transsexuals who had received voice treatment became female, in contrast to that of the nontreated transsexuals, which remained in the so-called 'indifferent pitch range'. The DI of the treated patients was close to the normal value, in contrast to the DI of controls, which continued to be pathological. Even based on this small population, study results reflected the effectiveness of voice therapy in transsexuals.

Psychiatric comorbidity in gender identity disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Despite being recognized as an important prognostic factor for the outcome in gender identity disorder (GID), psychiatric comorbidity has rarely been assessed by means of standardized diagnostic instruments. The aim of this study was to assess current and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity in patients with GID. METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of 31 patients who were treated for GID was assessed by the structured clinical interview for Axis I and II (SCID-I/II) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: Twenty-nine percent of the patients had no current or lifetime Axis I disorder; 39% fulfilled the criteria for current and 71% for current and/or lifetime Axis I diagnosis. Forty-two percent of the patients were diagnosed with one or more personality disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime psychiatric comorbidity in GID patients is high, and this should be taken into account in the assessment and treatment planning of GID patients.

[Treatment follow-up of transsexual patients. A catamnestic study]. / Behandlungverläufe transsexueller Patienten. Eine katamnestische Untersuchung.

In a retrospective study, 33 transsexual patients, 22 male-to-female transsexual (MF-TS), and 11 female-to-male transsexuals (FM-TS), were interviewed 53-121 months after their first referral to the psychiatric department of a university hospital. Social integration proved to be satisfactory and relatively stable. Twenty-five patients had gone through surgical sex reassignment, while 29 were currently undergoing hormonal treatment. Regarding the course of treatment, the FM-TS were a more homogeneous group than the MF-TS group. Overall, physical and psychosocial well-being was satisfactory. Psychometric measures yielded remarkably normal values, with some pathological findings regarding personality traits. In the majority of patients, self- and observer-rating appraisals of gender-specific physical appearance were equally positive. The results suggest a three-step procedure for the treatment of transsexual patients, as is practiced in other centers within German speaking continental Europe.

A psycho-endocrinological overview of transsexualism.

The technical possibility of surgical sex change has opened up a debate concerning the legitimacy and utility of carrying out such an intervention at the request of the transsexual. Diagnostic, psychological, medical and ethical arguments have been brought forth, both for and against. Nonetheless, anatomical transformation by surgical means has currently become a practice as the frequency of serious gender identity disorders is constantly progressing. After a brief introduction, the present paper will consider typological, aetiological and epidemiological aspects of transsexualism. Treatment of the sex change applicant is then defined and discussed in terms of psychological, psychiatric, endocrinological and surgical aspects. Finally, the question of post-operation follow-up will be examined.

Pitch change in male-to-female transsexuals: has phonosurgery a role to play?

Male-to-female transsexuals, who have undergone gender reassignment surgery, may continue to have low pitched voices. Voice therapy may assist them to use their voice in a manner more likely to be perceived as female but, if this approach is unsuccessful, a laryngeal framework operation may be necessary to raise vocal pitch. This study assessed the effects of crico-thyroid approximation surgery in 14 transsexuals. Modal pitch was significantly increased by surgery but with substantial variation across speakers. Modal pitch was significantly correlated with judgements of gender by speech and language therapists who listened to tapes of the subjects. The results suggest that crico-thyroid approximation may be used to raise the pitch of voices of male-to-female transsexuals. Further research is needed to clarify the reasons for the variability in outcome, to monitor the longer-term changes in voice and the impact for clients of their modified voice in real life situations.

[Results of long-term follow-up of transsexual patients]. / Resultate einer Langzeitkatamnese von Transsexuellen.

From 69 transsexual patients (48 men, 21 women) having consulted the Basel University Psychiatric Outpatient-Department between 1970 and 1990, 13 men-to-woman- and 4 woman-to-man-transsexuals could be examined in a follow-up (5-20 years after the operation). The social conditions and the quality of life of the 13 men-to-woman-transsexuals had significantly deteriorated: 9 of the 13 depend on life annuity or on social welfare assistance. The patients live socially very isolated. Eight of them report almost not being able to experience sexual pleasure, 10 suffer from anxieties, depression or addictions. Three regret having demanded the operation and two have passed a second operation for restoration of the original state. The 4 woman-to-man-transsexuals showed slightly better results: 2 of them are fully professionally active and live in constant personal relationships of several years of duration. The 2 others, however, suffer from depression and problems of addiction and give the impression of affective lability. The results lead to the following conclusions: 1. the criteria of indication for the operation of the transsexuals should be observed thoroughly, especially the psychotherapeutic accompaniment before the operation during at least 1 year; 2. the question of emotional stability, of frustration tolerance and of the danger of an outbreak of psychosis are to be examined carefully; 3. the professional and social integration before and after the operation is of central importance.

Effective treatment of hypertrichosis with pulsed light: a report of two cases.

Hypertrichosis is an often stigmatizing cosmetic problem not only for women but also for male-to-female transsexual patients. The hitherto described therapeutic measures include chemical epilation, razoring, camouflage, electrolysis and thermolysis, and waxing. All of these measures are transient, more or less painful, and may lead to severe side effects (e.g., inflammatory responses and scarring). We report the successful treatment of the perioral and mandibular area of two transsexual patients (male to female), who we treated with a recently introduced intense, pulsed light source--the PhotoDerm VL. Two days after the nearly painless treatment, hair could be epilated easily with forceps. Biopsies of the treated area show an atrophy of the follicles, which can be contributed either to direct thermal injury or to an indirect photothermolytical effect. Six months after the last treatment, there is no local recurrence and no side effects.

Evaluation of vocal pitch in male transsexuals.

A 49-year-old male-to-female transsexual was administered voice therapy following surgery. Tape recordings were made of her speech prior to and each week during therapy. Selected sentences from these reocrdings were analyzed. Results indicate that changes in both fundamental frequency and perceptual judgments of femininity were statistically significant and supportive to the client. The voice of the client was still discernible from that of a female speaker, although less so than before therapy. It is suggested that a composite treatment program combined with laryngeal modification through surgical intervention may be necessary.

Male transsexualism--a review of genital surgical reconstruction.

Transsexualism is a poorly understood, uncommon, and controversial entity of recent interest to the lay public and medical profession. Important features of the condition are discussed, surgical procedures for genital conversion in male transsexuals are compared, and our experience at the University of Virginia where 53 patients have been treated surgically is presented. All patients have made satisfactory postoperative psychosocial adjustment despite a surgical complication rate approaching 50 per cent. It is concluded that alternative (better) surgical procedures for male transsexuals should be explored.