Article

The relationship between change in picture naming with
anomia therapy and changes in word retrieval in conversations between adults with
aphasia and a regular conversational partner. We present data from two therapy
projects (Hickin et al. [ 1 ] and Best et al. [ 2 ]). In each study, therapy
involved cueing with the aim of improving retrieval of a set of nouns. Naming of
the experimental items was assessed twice prior to therapy and again immediately
afterwards. There was a significant change in word finding, as measured by
picture naming, for the group and for 11 of the 13 participants. At the same time
points, we collected conversations between the person with aphasia and a regular
conversational partner. We analysed these using Profile of Word Errors and
Retrieval in Speech (Herbert et al. [ 3 ]) and investigated a set of
conversational variables predicted to change with therapy. Unsurprisingly, the
conversation data is not straightforward. There is no significant change on the
conversation measures for the group but some changes for individuals. We
predicted change in word retrieval after therapy would relate to change in
everyday conversations and tested this by correlating the change (post-therapy
minus mean pre-therapy) in picture naming with the change in conversation
variables. There was a significant positive relationship between the change in
picture naming and change in some conversation measures including the number of
nouns produced in 5 min of conversation (r = 0.50, p < 0.05, one-tailed) and the
number of nouns produced per substantive turn (r = 0.55, p < 0.05, one-tailed).
The findings suggest changes in word finding following therapy for aphasia can be
reflected in changes in conversation. The clinical implications of the complex
results are explored.

Langue : ANGLAIS