Objective:
To examine the relationship between voice-related experiences, perceived voice handicap, and communicative competence in nonbinary individuals, and to identify predictors influencing vocal self-perception within this population.
Methods:
This observational, cross-sectional study included 30 adults who self-identified as nonbinary (mean age: 28 years). Participants completed the Voice-Related Experiences of Nonbinary Individuals (VENI-Br), the Voice Handicap Index–10 (VHI-10), and the Self-Assessment of Communication Competence (SACCom) through an online platform. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables, and the Shapiro–Wilk test verified normality. Correlations were analyzed using Spearman’s test. A multiple linear regression model was applied to determine predictors of voice-related experiences. Significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results:
Participants demonstrated a mean VENI-Br score of 31.63, balanced between physical and interactional factors, and a mean VHI-10 score of 8.47, exceeding the established clinical cutoff for voice handicap. Communicative competence yielded a mean SACCom score of 76.33%. Strong positive correlations were observed between perceived voice handicap and total voice-related experiences (r = 0.735; p < 0.001), physical factor (r = 0.683; p < 0.001), and interactional factor (r = 0.745; p < 0.001). No significant correlation emerged between voice-related experiences and communicative competence. Regression analysis identified perceived voice handicap as the only significant predictor of total voice-related experiences (R² = 0.649; p < 0.001), explaining 64.9% of the observed variance.
Conclusions:
Voice experiences of nonbinary individuals are significantly influenced by perceived voice handicap and are not related to communicative competence. These findings underscore the psychosocial nature of voice dysphoria and highlight the importance of addressing vocal incongruence in gender-affirming care. Clinicians should consider both physical and interactional vocal dimensions when supporting authentic gender expression. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is warranted to expand evidence-based practice in voice and communication services for nonbinary populations.