Working Memory Capacity and Subjective Communication Difficulties in High-Level Aphasia Public Deposited

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  • March 19, 2019
Creator
  • Cavanaugh, Robert
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Department of Allied Health Sciences, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences
Abstract
  • This study sets out to assess working memory capacity in people with high-level aphasia, who score above the threshold for disordered on standardized assessments but continue to report everyday communication challenges. Additionally, we collected subjective reports of everyday communication difficulties experienced by people with high-level aphasia. These reports were analyzed qualitatively to determine patterns across participants and identify potential sources of assessment and intervention. Five people with high-level aphasia and five neurologically healthy controls completed short-term and working memory tasks and participated in a semi-structured interview. Results indicate that short-term and working memory are impaired for at least some people with high-level aphasia and that digit span tasks have potential as sensitive measures for working memory impairment in high-level aphasia. Furthermore, people with high-level aphasia report salient communication difficulties, reduced social participation, difficulties returning to work, and a keen awareness of their persisting impairments. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed with relation to both reduced working memory capacity and subjective communication difficulties reported by people with high-level aphasia.
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  • In Copyright
Advisor
  • Bailliard, Antoine
  • Plummer, Prudence
  • Jacks, Adam
  • Haley, Katarina L.
Degree
  • Master of Science
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School
Graduation year
  • 2015
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  • Chapel Hill, NC
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