Aphasia Datasets
Numerous aphasia studies have been carried out. Anonymised data from these studies can be used for novel exploratory analyses to establish proof of concept, and pilot study design before moving on to more costly large scale studies. Find out whether the CATs database can help with your planned study.
Aphasia Assessments and Outcomes
Aphasia assessment and outcome measures seek to capture and evaluate the linguistic and cognitive abilities of people with aphasia, their participation, the severity of their impairment as well as evaluate communication and quality of life improvements. Assessment and outcome tools strongly vary across scientific disciplines and countries. The “Assessment & Outcomes group” aims to facilitate access to common comprehensive, normed and validated tools for their use across international aphasia trials in monolingual and multilingual contexts. The group follows a committee approach, supports several activities related to assessment and outcome measures for aphasia, and provides expertise and infrastructural support to members interested in cross-language and cross-cultural adaptations of such tools.
Prognosis and Predictors
“We need better insight into the pattern of language recovery amongst people that experience aphasia. Age, sex, educational background or cognition may play a role. There is uncertainty about which individuals are likely to respond well to specific rehabilitation approaches. This Working Group examines how prognostic variables impact on the recovery and successful rehabilitation of people with aphasia.
Effectiveness of interventions
Speech and language therapy benefits people with aphasia after stroke. Aphasia treatment and rehabilitation could be optimised if we had a greater understanding of the components of effective aphasia rehabilitation. For example timing, intensity, duration or therapy approach may be important factors. Through the analyses of combined datasets this Working Group is working to enhance the reporting of therapy intervention and explore the effectiveness aphasia rehabilitation programmes.
Societal Impact and Reintegration
Aphasia rehabilitation aims to maximise a person’s functional communication, thereby facilitating re-integration into family and community circles. However few outcome measures that attempt to capture this aspect of impact, specific rehabilitation approaches may be required. This Working Group are co-ordinating consensus activities to establish the optimum approach to capturing these important outcomes of aphasia rehabilitation and develop and evaluate interventions to facilitate reintegration.
Cognition
This new Working Group will examine issues related to cognition in people with aphasia.
Implementation Science in Aphasia
This newly appointed Working Group will examine optimised implementation of aphasia interventions.