Measures of functional, real-world communication for aphasia: a critical review

Doedens, W. J. and Meteyard, L. (2020) Measures of functional, real-world communication for aphasia: a critical review. Aphasiology, 34 (4). pp. 492-514. ISSN 1464-5041 doi: 10.1080/02687038.2019.1702848

Abstract/Summary

Purpose: Aphasia is a language impairment caused by acquired brain damage such as stroke. For successful rehabilitation, a thorough understanding of naturalistic, real-world communication is imperative, as this is the behaviour speech and language therapy (SLT) ultimately aims to improve. In the field of aphasiology, there currently is a lack of consensus about the way in which communication should be measured. Underlying this is a fundamental lack of agreement over what real-world communication entails and how it should be defined. Method: In this critical review, we review the instruments that are currently used to quantify functional, real-world communication in people with aphasia (PWA). Each measure is checked against a newly proposed, comprehensive, theoretical framework of situated language use, which defines communication as: (1) interactive, (2) multimodal, and (3) based on context (common ground). Results: The instrument that best fits the theoretical definition of situated language use and allows for the quantification of communicative ability is the Scenario Test. Conclusions: This article provides a start in a more systematic and theoretically founded approach to the study and measurement of functional, real-world communication in aphasia. More work is needed to develop an instrument that can quantify communicative ability across different aphasia types and severities.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/87816
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Ageing Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Clinical Language Sciences Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Language and Cognition
Publisher	Taylor and Francis
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