Evaluating the Impact of AAC Interventions in Reducing Hospitalization-related Stress: Challenges and Possibilities

Abstract

Hospitalization is a stressful context for all children and their families, but especially for children with communication difficulties. Effective communication using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies can play a critical role in preparing and supporting everyone involved in such situations to have discussions that minimize insecurity, allow children to express their concerns, and so decrease negative stress and anxiety. However, there is a critical need to identify robust and reliable ways of evaluating the effectiveness of interventions that seek to achieve this aim. This research note illustrates some of the challenges and problems that require attention and suggests possible new research tools, for example, the use of physiological measures. The evaluation of an AAC intervention on a day surgery ward is described and used to illustrate one potential physiological measure for evaluating the impact of an intervention.

Keywords:

• Augmentative and alternative communication
• pediatric nursing
• day surgery
• salivary cortisol
• anxiety
• stress
• pictorial support
• visual supports

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from Sunnerdahl Disability Foundation, Lundgren Foundation, and the Disability Committee of West Gotaland. Parts of the study were presented at the biennial conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Lisbon, July 2014. Thanks to all children, parents, and hospital staff who took part in this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.