Examining the Effects of Familiarity on Conversational Success between Aphasic and Non-aphasic Individuals

Presenter

Dominique Paris Wander

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Jacquie Kurland, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C27, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 3 (C21-C30) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine the effects of familiarity between people with aphasia (PWAs) and conversation partners (CPs) on conversational “success” as measured by main concept (MC) scoring. 

Problem

Previous studies demonstrate that PWAs perform better in communicative contexts (i.e. conversations) than under controlled testing conditions (Bryant, 2016), and that strategies can be used by PWAs and/or CPs to adapt the way they communicate to improve conversational success despite PWA impairments (Wilkinson, 2012). Additionally, PWAs and CPs must know one another well enough to communicate effectively (Goodwin, 1995), and CPs who have more aphasia-specific conversational skills better support PWAs, helping them to overcome communication barriers (Kagan, 2004). 

Methods

Nine PWAs watched/listened to 2-3-minute video and/or audio stimuli. After each stimulus, the PWA retold the story. Then the PWA and a CP were allowed six minutes to converse with the goal of co-constructing the story. Finally, the CP retold the story. This process was repeated eight times per pairing, four times before and after engaging in ten weekly 30-minute conversations (Pals program). Pre- and post-Pals discourse data were analyzed using MC scoring. 

Conclusions

Familiarity correlated with communicative success. Six of nine pairings showed increased MC scores from pre- to post-intervention. Most pairings showed increased use of behaviors facilitating successful communication, and increased trust, connection, collaboration, and interaction.

Significance

These findings support a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (Strong, 2021) in which environmental factors such as conversation partners are legitimate targets of intervention to improve communication success in aphasia. 

Keywords

Aphasia, Discourse Analysis, Communication Strategies, Co-construction, Life Participation Approach

Research Area

Linguistics and Language Studies

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