Publication Date

Spring 2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Communicative Disorders and Sciences

Advisor

Pei-Tzu Tsai; Eun Ae Choi; Oneida Chi

Abstract

Only a small portion of the current literature focuses on the relationship between clients and their clinicians in gender-affirming voice therapy (GAVT). Of the studies that do, gaps in client and clinician perspectives have been observed. This study aims to further identify areas where GAVT client and clinician perspectives are aligned and where they diverge. Six semi-structured, virtual interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis in NVivo. The relative ratio of references to each theme was calculated for clients and clinicians, allowing for a quantitative comparison of the emphasis that each cohort placed on each theme. Five themes emerged from the study, demonstrating that client and clinician perspectives were most aligned on the topics of Clinician Training, Counseling, and Client Comfort, and less aligned on Barriers for Clients and Individualized Care. High client-clinician alignment on themes, such as Clinician Training and Counseling, should be considered for best practices in gender-affirming voice services, whereas a closer examination of less-aligned themes, such as Barriers for Clients and Individualized Care, is warranted to better understand the nature of the divergence and support strong client-clinician relationships in GAVT.

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Available for download on Sunday, July 25, 2027

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