Collaborative participation in aphasic conversation before and after intensive language-action therapy. (2nd October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tuomenoksa, Asta; Pajo, Kati; Klippi, Anu
• Is Part Of: Clinical linguistics & phonetics. Volume 30:Number 10(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 749
• Page End: 769
• Publication Date: 2016-10-02
• Subjects: Aphasia -- conversation analysis -- everyday conversation -- outcome measurement -- repair action; Language disorders -- Periodicals; Applied linguistics -- Periodicals; Phonetics -- Periodicals; 616.855
• DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2016.1220621
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9206

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study applies conversation analysis to compare everyday conversation samples between a person with aphasia (PWA) and a familiar communication partner (CP) before and after intensive language-action therapy (ILAT). Our analysis concentrated on collaborative repair sequences with the assumption that impairment-focused therapy would translate into a change in the nature of trouble sources, which engender collaborative repair action typical of aphasic conversation. The most frequent repair initiation technique used by the CP was candidate understandings. The function of candidate understandings changed from addressing specific trouble sources pre-ILAT to concluding longer stretches of the PWA's talk post-ILAT. Alongside with these findings, we documented a clinically significant increase in the Western Aphasia Battery's aphasia quotient post-ILAT. Our results suggest that instead of mere frequency count of conversational behaviours, examining the type and function of repair actions might provide insight into therapy-related changes in conversation following impairment-focused therapy.