Topic maintenance in non-fluent aphasia conversation

Resumen

Background: Studies on communication partner training programs for persons with aphasia reveal improvements in the conversation partners’ communication skills. This article explores the strategies for topic maintenance developed by the conversational partners of three people with non-fluent aphasia before and after an intervention on conversational strategies.Method: We used conversation analysis to examine video-recorded samples of everyday conversations (pre- and post-treatment and follow-up) between three couples. The assessment for topic management was performed with Conversation Analysis Profile for People with Aphasia (CAPPA). The intervention was conducted over a period of five weeks. The partners were trained to use strategies for better topic maintenance (multiple-choice, multimodality, and message verification). At six weeks post-therapy, a third recording was made.Results: After the intervention, changes in topic maintenance were observed. The use of strategies is related to the pre-existing context and the presence of visual support.Discussion/Conclusion: Individuals with non-fluent aphasia and their conversation partners engage in multimodal conversations and benefit from the use of strategies to overcome barriers to understanding, leading them to maintain a conversational topic.