Mapping the Main Goals and Strategies of Voice Training and Communication Enhancement for Transgender Women: A Scoping Review

Abstract Objective: To map the goals and strategies used by speech-language pathologists in communication interventions with transgender women. Introduction: Enhancing the communication skills of transgender women is a crucial aspect of promoting gender congruence and social, professional, and personal well-being. Speech-language pathologists are the professionals responsible for facilitating this enhancement. However, there is still a gap in the systematization of the goals and strategies used for this purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the state of the art and the available evidence to support more effective and targeted interventions. Inclusion Criteria: Studies involving adult transgender women (population), that implemented interventions aimed at modifying communication (concept), within the context of speech-language pathology practice (context), and that employed experimental or quasi-experimental designs (types of sources). Methods: This is a scoping review (ScR) protocol following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The electronic search will be conducted in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS/BVS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline/PUBMED), EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library. A manual search will be carried out in the gray literature (Google Scholar, MedRxiv, ProQuest), through citation mapping and expert consultation. No language or publication date restrictions will be applied. Two independent reviewers will perform the initial screening of titles and abstracts, followed by full-text analysis of eligible articles. Extracted data will include publication characteristics, participant characteristics, and intervention features. The analysis will be descriptive, and the findings will be presented narratively. Results will be displayed in figures, charts, and tables.