Assessment of Word-Find Facilitation Strategies Between Persons with Aphasia and Caregivers Christine Mennona, B.A., Olivia Tockarshewsky, B.S., & Susan M. DeMetropolis, Ph.D, CCC-SLP Hofstra University, New York
Background Aphasia is an acquired language disorder affecting the language modalities of comprehension, expression, reading, and writing. Aphasia affects both the patient and their caregiver in which the caregiver often becomes the “bridge” to participation in conversation and society (Nystrom, 2011). Numerous clinical studies have looked at various word finding strategies and types of cueing in aphasia (Meteyard, L. & Bose, A., 2018). Specific research has looked at the relationship between overprotection and “speaking for” behaviors and the reduction of participation in conversation for the person with aphasia (PWA) (Croteau, C. & Le Dorze, G., 2007). This dyadic study will target both caregivers and PWA when looking at various word finding cueing techniques with standardized (i.e., Western Aphasia Battery and Boston Naming Test) and informal (conversational analysis) assessments.
Research Questions 1) Is there a match or mismatch of cueing strategies used by the person with aphasia and their caregiver in communication? 2) How does this match or mismatch affect the quality of life (QoL) for persons with aphasia and their caregivers?
Part II: Researchers will administer the Western Aphasia Battery and the virtual Boston Naming test via ZOOM.
Caregiver Demographic Questionnaire Cueing and QoL Questionnaires Remote hearing screening evaluation Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB; Kertez, 2006) Boston Naming Test- Short Form (BNT-15) Virtual Conversational Analysis Interview with person with aphasia and their primary caregiver/familiar speaker
Data Analysis Questionnaires, interviews, formal testing, and conversations will identify which type(s) of cues the PWA benefits from the most with regards to word-finding.
Clinical Implications The results of this study will give insight into beneficial cueing techniques that can be used for persons with aphasia (PWA) and their caregivers during treatment and post-treatment. Findings will aid in the initial stage of therapy and facilitate favorable cueing techniques through the PWA’s caregiver.
Methodology Part I: Prior to the study, participants will complete a remote hearing screening, demographic questionnaire, QoL questionnaire and a questionnaire regarding cueing.
Stimuli • • • • • •
Part III: Caregiver/familiar speaker will be given conversational prompts to engage in conversation. The researchers will leave the Zoom room for a natural setting.
Participants 10-15 adults with mild-moderate nonfluent and fluent aphasia (e.g., Wernicke, Broca, anomic) Post-stroke aphasia Caregivers/Familiar communicators of adults with aphasia
Future directions can consider more exclusive research criteria such as type of aphasia and severity. May also consider caregiver willingness and readiness to participate and their emotional states. Also, this method could be used to explore communication and cueing strategies between PWA with different types (nonfluent and fluent).
References & Contact Information Claire Croteau PhD & Guylaine Le Dorze (2006) Overprotection, “speaking for”, and conversational participation: A study of couples with aphasia, Aphasiology, 20:2-4, 327-336, DOI: 10.1080/02687030500475051. Neurocognition Laboratory Hofstra University Kaplan, E. F., Goodglass, H., & Weintraub, S. (1978). The Boston Naming Test. Graduate Students: Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger. Christine Mennona Olivia Tockarshewsky Kertesz, A. (2006). Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R). San Antonio, TX: Advisor/PI: Pearson Assessments. Susan M. DeMetropolis Meteyard, L. & Bose, A. (2018) What does a cue do? Comparing phonological and semantic cues for picture naming in aphasia. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 61 (3), 658-674. Nyström, M. (2011). A bridge between a lonely soul and the surrounding world: A study on existential consequences of being closely related to a person with aphasia. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 6(4), 7911-7919. doi:10.3402/qhw.v6i4.7911
susan.demetropolis@hoftsra.edu (516) 463-5510
Kaitlin Brooks Mercy College