Conversation analysis as a dependent measure in communication therapy with four individuals with aphasia

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing

ISSN

1361-3286

Volume

2

Issue

1

DOI

10.1179/136132897805577468

First Page

43

Last Page

61

Publication Date

1-1-1997

Abstract

This report documents the progress of four individuals with aphasia through a seven-week course of Conversation Partners Therapy using a conversation analysis (CA). The CA as used in this study reveals changes otherwise unavailable from more traditional testing methods. Four individuals with aphasia participated. Their treatment comprised a seven-week regimen of therapy which used a family member as a trained facilitator, with the speech-language pathologist serving as ‘coach’. Weekly conversation probes were later analysed to determine whether progress documented with formal measures was observable from conversation. In the two patients with more satisfactory progress with conventional testing, parallel changes were realised in the CA, particularly with measures of verbal output and use of conversation self-repair. In the two patients with less satisfactory progress, little change in verbal output was noted, and no change or a decrease in conversation self-repairs occurred. The analyses in this study led directly to modification of therapeutic goals and objectives for each conversational dyad. For example, when little or no change in verbal output was recorded, the conversational partner was trained to facilitate more elaborate utterances by the partner with aphasia.

Comments

Journal Title Note: Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing (ISSN: 1361-3286) from 1996-2012. Currently known as Speech, Language and Hearing (ISSN: 2050-571X).

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