Standardizing Assessment of Spoken Discourse in Aphasia: A Working Group With Deliverables

Abstract

Purpose The heterogeneous nature of measures, methods, and analyses reported in the aphasia spoken discourse literature precludes comparison of outcomes across studies (e.g., meta-analyses) and inhibits replication. Furthermore, funding and time constraints significantly hinder collecting test–retest data on spoken discourse outcomes. This research note describes the development and structure of a working group, designed to address major gaps in the spoken discourse aphasia literature, including a lack of standardization in methodology, analysis, and reporting, as well as nominal data regarding the psychometric properties of spoken discourse outcomes. Method The initial initiatives for this working group are to (a) propose recommendations regarding standardization of spoken discourse collection, analysis, and reporting in aphasia, based on the results of an international survey and a systematic literature review and (b) create a database of test–retest spoken discourse data from individuals with and without aphasia. The survey of spoken discourse collection, analysis, and interpretation procedures was distributed to clinicians and researchers involved in aphasia assessment and rehabilitation from September to November 2019. We will publish survey results and recommend standards for collecting, analyzing, and reporting spoken discourse in aphasia. A multisite endeavor to collect test–retest spoken discourse data from individuals with and without aphasia will be initiated. This test–retest information will be contributed to a central site for transcription and analysis, and data will be subsequently openly curated. Conclusion The goal of the working group is to create recommendations for field-wide standards in methods, analysis, and reporting of spoken discourse outcomes, as has been done across other related disciplines (e.g., Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research, Committee on Best Practice in Data Analysis and Sharing). Additionally, the creation of a database through our multisite collaboration will allow the identification of psychometrically sound outcome measures and norms that can be used by clinicians and researchers to assess spoken discourse abilities in aphasia.

A longitudinal study of narrative discourse in post-stroke aphasia

“…Spoken discourse analysis has the potential to provide important and meaningful outcome measures in aphasia (Wallace et al, 2018), but rigorous standardization of the analysis is needed to support its development (Stark et al, 2021). Spoken discourse can be analyzed by focusing on the microstructure of language (e.g., lexicon, syntax, word classes), by focusing on the macrostructure (e.g., story grammar, communicative effectiveness) or using measures that represent the interface of micro-and macrostructural structures (e.g., content units, main concepts) (Armstrong, 2000).…”

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Macrolinguistic Aspects in Narrative Discourse in Unilateral Left and Right Hemisphere Stroke: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

“…The heterogeneity of the extracted variables and the various types of discourse reported in discourse analysis following a stroke limits the comparison between the studies and our understanding of the role of each hemisphere in discourse processing (Stark et al, 2020). Lesions following a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) form a fruitful context in which brain hemisphere specialization can be studied.…”

A Telemedicine Platform for Aphasia: Protocol for a Development and Usability Study

“…In addition, figures are presented to the participants, and they will be instructed to name them or develop a speech about the figures (see Figure 2). Those images were taken from the Talkbank database, which are widely used to assess speech and gesture variations in patients with aphasia [24].…”