Mary Lee Oelschlaeger

Qualitative methods in aphasia research: conversation analysis

The conversational behaviours of individuals with aphasia are becoming a more important consideration in clinical aphasiology. This is due to the increased focus on conversational dyads and conversational partners via supported conversation for adults with aphasia. This article provides an overview of a well-established analytic framework to investigate conversation in authentic settings. This framework, conversation analysis, is described according to its development and primary principles. Several examples of its application to clinical aphasiology are provided.

Qualitative methods in aphasia research: basic issues

As clinical aphasiologists seek different ways to understand the complexity of aphasia within naturalistic and social contexts, there is an increasing need to provide background information on various research paradigms not widely used in the field. Consistent with recent calls for qualitative research in clinical aphasiology, this article provides information on the rationale, design characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of this research paradigm and its usefulness in clinical aphasiology.

Partnership in conversation : A study of word search strategies

Conversation analysis was used to investigate a conversational partners strategies when assisting with the word searches of an aphasic person. The purpose was to identify and detail how such strategies were accomplished and to examine the implications of these strategies from a social and participatory perspective. Review of a large, authentic database resulted in identification of 38 videotaped conversation sequences characterized by the initiation of a word search by an aphasic speaker and the joining of this search by the conversation partner. Sequences were analyzed on a turn-by-turn basis to identify patterns of sequential organization based on similarities in contextual and functional features and to infer social implications. Results were that four conversation strategies were systematically used: guess, alternative guess, completion, and closing strategies. Each was accomplished collaboratively with specific interactional resources and techniques and were used differentially for social purposes. Implications for clinical practices involving training of conversation partners are discussed.

Joint productions as a conversational strategy in aphasia

To address the longstanding question of the conversational ability of persons with aphasia, this study investigated the spontaneous occurrence of a specific type of conversational collaboration, joint production, that is known to occur in the conversation of ordinary speakers. A person with aphasia and his wife videorecorded eight of their naturally occurring conversations. These conversations were analysed and three types of joint productions were identified: word search, turn completion and appendor production. Additional sequential analysis revealed the linguistic, paralinguistic and contextual resources available to the interactants in designing their joint production. Results showed that, despite the presence of aphasia, this couple was able to successfully employ joint production as an interactive technique leading to conversational success. Implications of this study are discussed relative to the understanding of communicative ability of persons with aphasia and how aphasia is diagnostically and therapeutically approached.

Participation of a Conversation Partner in the Word Searches of a Person With Aphasia

Conversation analysis was applied to answer the question of when and how a conversation partner participates in the word searches of a person with aphasia. Thirty-eight videotaped conversational se...

Traumatic aphasia in children: A case study

Traumatic aphasia in children has been recognized as a distinct clinical pathology, differing from adult aphasia in symptomatology and course of recovery. The upper limit for complete recovery has been identified as age 10. However, there is a paucity of literature documenting recovery of children with traumatic aphasia. It is apparent that definitive statements of the upper age limit for complete recovery from traumatic aphasia in children cannot be made at this time. This article reviews the literature concerning traumatic aphasia and presents case information of a 10-year-old traumatic aphasic girl seen at the North Texas State University Speech and Hearing Center. The design, execution, and assessment of therapeutic interaction and the observed language abilities of the client are reported.

The effect of instructional stimulation on the frequency of repetitions, interjections, and words spoken during the spontaneous speech of four stutterers

The effect of instruction on repetitions, interjections, and words spoken during the spontaneous speech of four stutterers was investigated. Experiment I involved instructional stimulation regarding repetitions; Experiment II involved ins instructional stimulation regarding repetitions; Experiment II involved instructional stimulation concerning interjections. Both experiments were divided into three 18-min segments regarded as initial, instructional, and final segments, respectively. Two subjects served in each experiment. In Experiment I, introduction of instructions to “try not to repeat” was associated with no statistically significant change in the frequency of repetitions or words spoken. In Experiment II, introduction of instructions to “try not to interject” was associated with a significant decrease in frequency of interjections and words spoken for both subjects. Multiple Linear Regression analysis demonstrated that the experimental effects were not the result of one behaviors dependent relationship with another behavior. Knowledge of the frequency of one behavior could not generally be used for prediction of the frequency of another behavior. The differences in effect of instructions on the three behaviors measured, along with the results demonstrating the independence of these behaviors, emphasized the need for the molecular analysis and differential treatment of behaviors traditionally regarded as stuttering.

Response-contingent positive stimulation of the part-word repetitions displayed by four stutterers

Abstract To assess the effect of response-contingent positive stimulation on the frequency of part-word repetitions displayed by stutterers, a single subject design was used. Four subjects were seen separately in an experimental session comprised of initial, experimental and final segments. During the experimental segment, money, the positive stimulus, was delivered contingent upon the occurrence of a part-word repetition. The data were analyzed statistically to determine the significance of differences in the frequency of part-word repetitions. This analysis did not demonstrate an effect of response-contingent positive stimulation on the part-word repetitions of any of the four subjects. The evidence obtained in this study supports the findings of previous research; some verbal behaviors of stutterers are unaffected by response-contingent stimulation. It appears necessary to investigate the effect of response-contingent stimulation on other separate behaviors as whole word repetition, phrase repetition, and hesitation for determination of their manipulability. The successful use of this procedure as a therapeutic treatment is dependent upon such a differential behavioral analysis.