ERIC Number: EJ1156251
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Sep
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: N/A
Inner Speech's Relationship with Overt Speech in Poststroke Aphasia
Stark, Brielle C.; Geva, Sharon; Warburton, Elizabeth A.
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v60 n9 p2406-2415 Sep 2017
Purpose: Relatively preserved inner speech alongside poor overt speech has been documented in some persons with aphasia (PWA), but the relationship of overt speech with inner speech is still largely unclear, as few studies have directly investigated these factors. The present study investigates the relationship of relatively preserved inner speech in aphasia with selected measures of language and cognition. Method: Thirty-eight persons with chronic aphasia (27 men, 11 women; average age 64.53 ± 13.29 years, time since stroke 8-111 months) were classified as having relatively preserved inner and overt speech (n = 21), relatively preserved inner speech with poor overt speech (n = 8), or not classified due to insufficient measurements of inner and/or overt speech (n = 9). Inner speech scores (by group) were correlated with selected measures of language and cognition from the Comprehensive Aphasia Test (Swinburn, Porter, & Al, 2004). Results: The group with poor overt speech showed a significant relationship of inner speech with overt naming (r = 0.95, p < 0.01) and with mean length of utterance produced during a written picture description (r = 0.96, p < 0.01). Correlations between inner speech and language and cognition factors were not significant for the group with relatively good overt speech. Conclusions: As in previous research, we show that relatively preserved inner speech is found alongside otherwise severe production deficits in PWA. PWA with poor overt speech may rely more on preserved inner speech for overt picture naming (perhaps due to shared resources with verbal working memory) and for written picture description (perhaps due to reliance on inner speech due to perceived task difficulty). Assessments of inner speech may be useful as a standard component of aphasia screening, and therapy focused on improving and using inner speech may prove clinically worthwhile.
Descriptors: Aphasia, Inner Speech (Subvocal), Speech, Naming, Language Skills, Cognitive Processes, Neurological Impairments
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A