Exploration of a quantitative method for measuring behaviors in conversation

ABSTRACT

Background: The literature on communication partner training (CPT) includes mainly studies with a small number of participants, because methods to measure changes in conversation pose practical challenges limiting the analysis of large samples.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore a quantitative procedure that would allow one to measure specific behavioral changes occurring in conversational exchanges involving a person with aphasia and a partner.

Methods & Procedures: Forty-three problem-solving situations presented visually as well as with a simple written explanation were created to elicit conversation. In order to test the situations and develop further a procedure, we used data from a spouse of a man with aphasia during CPT delivered in a clinical setting. We developed specific definitions related to conversational behaviors targeted in the CPT. These defined behaviors were analyzed using a transcription-less method and an annotation software in the couple’s 39 conversation samples collected before, throughout, and 3-months post CPT. Reliability data were collected.

Outcomes & Results: The procedure enabled us to create a protocol with two types of conversational situations and reliable definitions for measurement of conversational behaviors in a timely fashion. Pilot data of the measures are provided.

Conclusions: It is expected that the method presented in this pilot study may be used to document the outcomes of CPT. It could be used with single-subject designs that require repeated measures and multiple group designs that require comparable data over large samples. It provides a method of data collection and analysis to better evaluate the effects of conversation-based treatments such as CPT.

KEYWORDS:

• Communication partner training
• communication partner
• conversation
• aphasia
• conversational therapy

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the Québec Rehabilitation Research Network [09-10DN-01] and Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montréal to the first author. The participants’ involvement is gratefully acknowledged. We would also like to thank Ève Nadeau, Geneviève Baril, Hélène Lefebvre, Annie Rochette, Julie Provost, Jessica Sauvé-Dupont, Jordan Herbert, Anabelle Rousseau, and Kalyna Franko for their help and support in this project. Paméla McMahon-Morin carried out a part of this research for her master’s degree in Speech–Language Pathology at the Université de Montréal under the supervision of Claire Croteau.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by grants from the Québec Rehabilitation Research Network [09-10DN-01] and Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montréal to the first author.