Patient Perspectives of an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program for Stroke Survivors

Individuals with aphasia who participate in intensive post-stroke language rehabilitation programs make a variety of significant investments. Investments involve commitment across many domains including: time, finance, family participation, temporary relocation, as well as cognitive, physical, and emotional exertion. While intensive aphasia programs and intensive comprehensive aphasia programs (ICAPs) are becoming increasingly prevalent across health care settings (Rodriguez et al., 2017; Rose, et al 2013), and language-based and psychosocial outcomes are beginning to be reported in the literature (e.g., Babbitt, Worrall, & Cherney, 2015; Hoover, Caplan, Waters, & Carney, 2017), patient perspectives have yet to be explored. As health care moves towards patient centered care (Robinson et al., 2008), persons with aphasia (PWA)’s perspectives of their rehabilitation experience should inform current research and intervention approaches (e.g., Barrett, 2010). The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine patient perspectives on the experience of participating in an intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP), specifically the Big Sky Aphasia Program (BSAP) at University of Montana. Investigating what it is like for a person with aphasia (PWA) to participate in an ICAP will contribute to the exploration of the worthwhileness of the ICAP model. The primary research question of this study was: “what is it like to be a PWA in an ICAP?” Investigators conducted nine, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews to collect narrative data from PWA who participated in the BSAP ICAP. The researchers asked the participants to describe their experiences and perspectives of the ICAP All interviews were audiovisually recorded and transcribed from the video recordings. Spoken production was transcribed verbatim and meaningful non-verbal communication (e.g., pointing) was also documented in the transcripts. Both researchers present during interviews took field notes on topics interviewees emphasized as important. Transcripts and field notes will be analyzed to create codes (i.e., phrases with keywords that represent significant concepts in participants’ experiences). Data will be analyzed for themes and conclusions will be made about participants’ experiences in the BSAP ICAP. Implications of these perspectives for future ICAP implementation and research will be discussed

An Ethnographic Inquiry: Contemporary Language Ideologies of American Sign Language

Historically, American Sign Language (an aspect of Deaf culture) has been rendered invisible in mainstream hearing society. Today, ASL’s popularity is evidenced in an ethnolinguistic renaissance; more second language learners pursue an interest in ASL than ever before. Nonetheless, Deaf and hearing people alike express concern about ASL’s place in hearing culture. This qualitative study engages ethnographic methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviewing as well as popular media analysis to understand language ideologies (ideas and objectives concerning roles of language in society) hearing and Deaf Signers hold about motivations and practices of other hearing Signers. Although most hearing ASLers identify as apolitical students genuinely seeking to build bridges between disparate communities, I argue that ASLers are most concerned with hearing Signers’ colonization of the language through commoditization and cultural appropriation

Patient Perspectives of an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program for Stroke Survivors

Introduction: Persons with aphasia (PWA) who participate in intensive comprehensive poststroke language rehabilitation programs make a variety of significant investments. While intensive aphasia programs and intensive comprehensive aphasia programs (ICAPs) are becoming increasingly prevalent across health care settings, patient perspectives of ICAPs have not been explored. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine patient perspectives about the experience of participating in an ICAP at the University of Montana. The primary research question of this study was: “what is it like to be a PWA in an ICAP?” Methods: Researchers used an interpretive phenomenological approach to conduct nine structured interviews from PWAs who described their lived experiences in the ICAP. All interviews were audiovisually recorded and transcribed from the video recordings. Analysis involved an iterative and collaborative coding process. Transcripts were coded and themes were developed from the PWAs’ shared perspectives. Results: Three primary themes emerged from patient perspectives including: (1) experience with each of the ICAP components is generally positive, (2) we notice the impact of the ICAP on our communication, and (3) relationships with people in the ICAP are important. Discussion: Results support emerging evidence that ICAPs can be a positive experience for PWA due to the perceptible impact on communication improvement and frequent and varied opportunities to interact with others. ICAPs may be a worthwhile investment for PWA, thereby contributing to the cost-benefit utility and implementation feasibility of the service delivery model