Litosseliti Lia, Georgiadou Ioanna
City, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Int J Transgend. 2019 Apr 27;20(1):87-97. doi: 10.1080/15532739.2018.1553693. eCollection 2019.
One of the most influential factors that affect the quality of life of transgender individuals is whether they can be perceived by others to "pass" in their felt gender. Voice and communication style are two important identifying dimensions of gender and many transgender individuals wish to acquire a voice that matches their gender. Evidence shows that few transgender individuals access voice therapy, and that this is caused by their concerns about stigmatization or negative past experiences within healthcare services. In order to address the negative experiences faced by transgender populations we need a better understanding of healthcare services' current levels of knowledge and LGBT awareness. Some studies of Speech-Language Therapists' (SLTs') experience and confidence working with transgender individuals have recently been undertaken in the United States (US). However, little research has been carried out in Asia. To investigate Taiwanese SLTs' knowledge, attitudes and experiences of providing transgender individuals with relevant therapy. A cross-sectional self-administered web-based survey hosted on the Qualtrics platform was delivered to 140 Taiwanese SLTs. Taiwanese SLTs were, (i) more familiar with the terminology used to address "lesbian, gay, and bisexual groups" than with "transgender" terminology, (ii) generally positive in their attitudes toward transgender individuals, and (iii) comfortable about providing clinical services to transgender clients. However, the majority of participants did not feel that they were sufficiently skilled in working with transgender individuals, even though most believed that providing them with voice and communication services fell within the SLT scope of practice. It is important for clinicians to both be skilled in transgender voice and communication therapy and to be culturally competent when providing services to transgender individuals. This study recommends that cultural competence relating to gender and sexual minority groups should be addressed in SLTs' university education as well as in their continuing educational programs.
影响跨性别者生活质量的最具影响力的因素之一，是他们是否能被他人视作与其自我认知的性别“相符”。嗓音和沟通方式是性别两个重要的识别维度，许多跨性别者希望获得与其性别相符的嗓音。有证据表明，很少有跨性别者接受嗓音治疗，这是因为他们担心受到污名化，或是担心医疗服务中有过负面经历。为了解决跨性别群体面临的负面经历，我们需要更好地了解医疗服务目前的知识水平和对 LGBT 的认知。最近在美国开展了一些关于言语治疗师（SLT）与跨性别者合作的经验和信心的研究。然而，在亚洲开展的研究很少。为了调查台湾言语治疗师在为跨性别者提供相关治疗方面的知识、态度和经验。在 Qualtrics 平台上进行了一项基于网络的横断面自填式调查，对象为 140 名台湾言语治疗师。台湾言语治疗师，（i）对用于称呼“女同性恋、男同性恋和双性恋群体”的术语比“跨性别”术语更熟悉，（ii）总体上对跨性别者持积极态度，（iii）愿意为跨性别客户提供临床服务。然而，大多数参与者认为自己在与跨性别者合作方面技能不足，尽管大多数人认为为他们提供嗓音和沟通服务属于言语治疗师的执业范围。临床医生在为跨性别者提供服务时，既要具备跨性别嗓音和沟通治疗的技能，又要具备文化能力，这很重要。本研究建议，在言语治疗师的大学教育以及继续教育项目中，应涉及与性别和性少数群体相关的文化能力。
