A Comparison of the Speech of Adult Aphasic Subjects in Spontaneous and Structured Interactions

Abstract

Summary The verbal expression of five adult aphasic subjects was compared in unstructured (spontaneous speech) and structured interactions (a picture description task) at specified intervals over the period of one year. Transcribed tape recordings were analysed to describe the subjects' syntactic system in each language sample. The possible influence of the therapists' speech contribution upon both interactions was assessed. A measurable and longitudinal difference was found between the subjects' performance in the two interactions. Subjects produced the largest proportion of discrete grammatically analysable utterances in the picture description task. A further comparison of the language samples was then made. The data was examined, for example, at the levels of the clause and phrase structures used. This indicated that the subjects tended to produce a similar range and form of grammatical structures in either task. Some practical suggestions arising from these points are discussed. The presence of the picture stimulus, rather than any alteration in the therapists' language, seems to be the most important factor in determining subjects' performance in the structured interaction. However in the unstructured situation, evidence was found of the speech therapist modifying her input in order to try to compensate for subjects' transient difficulties in formulating adult sentences. This is described with examples, together with suggestions for application to therapeutic work.

Leveraging big data to understand the interaction of task and language during monologic spoken discourse in speakers with and without aphasia

“…In a larger sample size (N=86) of persons without aphasia, lexical diversity, a microlinguistic measure, was demonstrated to be influenced by discourse type and age . Not surprisingly, elicitation methods have also been found to influence micro-and macrostructural processes of language in speakers with aphasia (a nonexhaustive list: [Sahraoui & Nespoulous, 2012,Brookshire & Nicholas, 1994,Easterbrook et al, 1982, Glosser et al, 1988, Correia et al, 1989, Roberts & Wertz, 1989, Brenneise-Sarshad et al, 1991,Correia et al, 1990,Olness, 2006,Stark, 2019,Doyle et al, 1998). For example, people with aphasia were found to produce more present tense verbs during a picture description (expositional discourse) and more past tense verbs during a story retelling (narrative discourse) (N=12) [Olness, 2006].…”

Treatment of agrammatism in long‐term Broca's aphasia

“…The second dependent variable chosen for this study was BDAE cookie theft description, which is used to elicit a sample of running speech. Easterbrook, Brown and Perera (1982) found that no qualitative differences in the range and form of grammatical structures existed between cookie theft picture descriptions and conversational speech samples of aphasic patients. They suggested, therefore, that the use of this picture is not only economical but that it may have predictive value for spontaneous speech performance.…”

Leveraging big data to understand the interaction of task and language during monologic spoken discourse in speakers with and without aphasia

“…nouns, verbs, adjectives and some adverbs]) across discourse genres (expositional, narrative and procedural) in older adults (N=27) and persons with aphasia (N=25), finding that lexical diversity was greatest during narrative discourse (and, in the case of aphasia, in picture sequences) [Fergadiotis & Wright, 2011], demonstrating genre-specific microstructural information. Not surprisingly, elicitation methods have also been found to influence micro-and macrostructural processes of language in speakers with aphasia [Sahraoui & Nespoulous, 2012, Brookshire & Nicholas, 1994, Easterbrook et al, 1982, Glosser et al, 1988, Correia et al, 1989, Roberts & Wertz, 1989, Brenneise-Sarshad et al, 1991, Correia et al, 1990, Olness, 2006,Stark, 2019. For example, people with aphasia were found to produce more present tense verbs during a picture description (expositional discourse) and more past tense verbs during a story retelling (narrative discourse) (N=12) [Olness, 2006].…”