View in EDS PDF Full Text

Let's Chat About Spoken Discourse: A Tutorial to Support Use of Spoken Discourse Analysis When Providing Aphasia Clinical Services.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Let's Chat About Spoken Discourse: A Tutorial to Support Use of Spoken Discourse Analysis When Providing Aphasia Clinical Services.
Authors: Dutta, Manaswita1 mdutta@pdx.edu, Murray, Laura L.2, Hyejin Park3, Burklow, Elizabeth3, Bose, Arpita4, Kim, Hana5, Greenslade, Kathryn6, Ramage, Amy E.6,7, Combs, Collean6, Balasubramanian, Anusha4, Casilio, Marianne8
Source: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Jul2025, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p1931-1966. 36p.
Subject Terms: *Speech therapists, *Aphasia, *Teaching methods, *Discourse analysis, *Multilingualism, *Clinical competence, *Speech therapy, Treatment of communicative disorders, Task performance, Psychometrics, Psychosocial factors
Abstract: Purpose: Spoken discourse is integral to everyday communication; improving discourse outcomes is a primary goal for individuals with aphasia and their families. Consequently, the application of discourse analysis in aphasia assessment and treatment has gained increasing attention in both research and clinical settings. Despite its recognized value among researchers and clinicians, several barriers--such as limited time, inadequate training, and lack of resources--continue to impede the widespread use of discourse analysis into clinical practice. To facilitate its broader adoption, speech-language pathologists require access to comprehensive resources that include information on discourse tasks, outcome measures, psychometric properties, and practical examples of how to implement spoken discourse assessments effectively. The purpose of this tutorial is to equip clinicians with this knowledge, promoting the consistent and effective application of discourse analysis in clinical settings. Method: This tutorial, developed by members of the FOQUSAphasia Writing Group--comprising both researchers and clinical practitioners--offers an overview of recommended spoken discourse collection and analysis procedures, outcome measures, and their psychometric properties, as well as factors to consider when planning to conduct discourse assessments. It includes a series of case studies (severe aphasia, latent or very mild aphasia, bilingual aphasia, and primary progressive aphasia) that illustrate the utility of discourse analysis for varied clinical contexts and shows how the choice of tasks and measures can reveal meaningful insights tailored to the individual being assessed. In addition, the tutorial provides practical recommendations and considerations for incorporating discourse analysis into clinical aphasia services, along with suggestions for future research. Conclusions: Spoken discourse production can be an important indicator of communication ability in individuals with aphasia. This tutorial is intended to support clinicians by providing evidence-based, practical ways for integrating discourse analysis into aphasia assessment and treatment. Our collation of information and case studies should encourage clinicians to apply spoken discourse-based approaches, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals with aphasia. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29287505 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:Purpose: Spoken discourse is integral to everyday communication; improving discourse outcomes is a primary goal for individuals with aphasia and their families. Consequently, the application of discourse analysis in aphasia assessment and treatment has gained increasing attention in both research and clinical settings. Despite its recognized value among researchers and clinicians, several barriers--such as limited time, inadequate training, and lack of resources--continue to impede the widespread use of discourse analysis into clinical practice. To facilitate its broader adoption, speech-language pathologists require access to comprehensive resources that include information on discourse tasks, outcome measures, psychometric properties, and practical examples of how to implement spoken discourse assessments effectively. The purpose of this tutorial is to equip clinicians with this knowledge, promoting the consistent and effective application of discourse analysis in clinical settings. Method: This tutorial, developed by members of the FOQUSAphasia Writing Group--comprising both researchers and clinical practitioners--offers an overview of recommended spoken discourse collection and analysis procedures, outcome measures, and their psychometric properties, as well as factors to consider when planning to conduct discourse assessments. It includes a series of case studies (severe aphasia, latent or very mild aphasia, bilingual aphasia, and primary progressive aphasia) that illustrate the utility of discourse analysis for varied clinical contexts and shows how the choice of tasks and measures can reveal meaningful insights tailored to the individual being assessed. In addition, the tutorial provides practical recommendations and considerations for incorporating discourse analysis into clinical aphasia services, along with suggestions for future research. Conclusions: Spoken discourse production can be an important indicator of communication ability in individuals with aphasia. This tutorial is intended to support clinicians by providing evidence-based, practical ways for integrating discourse analysis into aphasia assessment and treatment. Our collation of information and case studies should encourage clinicians to apply spoken discourse-based approaches, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals with aphasia. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29287505 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:10580360
DOI:10.1044/2025_AJSLP-24-00534