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The Revista Chilena de Fonoaudiología and the Chilean Society of Speech-Language Pathology announce the call for papers for the Special Issue 2027 “Technology and Innovation in Speech-Language Pathology”.
Manuscripts must be submitted through the platform and clearly indicate that they are intended for this special issue. See the full call here.
As of May 22, 2024, authors of articles accepted for publication in the regular issue must pay a translation fee, intended exclusively to cover the costs of the journal’s official translation service. More information HERE.
The Revista Chilena de Fonoaudiología accepts manuscript submissions year-round and publishes on a continuous basis.
Identifying Communication Partner Skills and Environmental and Emotional Factors that Promote Effective Communication in People with Aphasia
Authors
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Claudia Olivares-Matus
Departamento de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0237-8851
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Paulina Matus-Rosas
Departamento de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0135-4789
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Fernanda Barahona-Fuentes
Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2878-4175
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Felipe Bravo-Guerrero
Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6794-2607
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Natalie Gálvez-Orellana
Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8263-7202
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Jorge Valdebenito-Medel
Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0937-3794
Abstract
Aphasia is a disorder that affects language comprehension and/or expression. People with aphasia (PwA) require communication strategies to actively engage in everyday life, which can be enhanced through the support of a communication partner (CP). It is therefore essential to identify the characteristics of CPs, as well as the emotional and environmental factors that facilitate effective communication with PWA. The Communication Needs Questionnaire for People with Aphasia was employed to this end. This instrument is designed to gather information on verbal, nonverbal, emotional, and environmental aspects that influence communication. The questionnaire was validated by a panel of experts (N = 7) and administered to 18 PwA attending speech-language therapy in healthcare centers in Santiago, Chile. The results revealed verbal strategies used by CPs that were perceived as helpful, such as familiar words, message repetition, and simple phrases. Among the nonverbal strategies, PwA emphasized the importance of sustained eye contact, effective turn-taking, the use of gestures, and pausing during interactions. Regarding environmental factors, participants stressed the importance of engaging in conversation in calm contexts with minimal background noise. In terms of emotional factors, they reported feeling comfortable and supported when communicating, particularly with healthcare professionals. They also expressed enjoying conversations despite their difficulties and reported not feeling uncomfortable when asked whether they understood a message. This study identified key verbal, non-verbal, emotional, and environmental characteristics that foster effective communication between PwA and CPs, providing relevant evidence to inform interventions and clinical practice in speech-language therapy.
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