Theory and research:

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Aphasia can change the way families communicate. Conversations can become shorter, less frequent, feel strange or cold, and certain topics may be avoided:

  • Croteau, C., McMahon-Morin, P., Le Dorze, G., Baril, G. (2020). ‘Impact of aphasia on communication in couples’, Int J Lang Commun Disord. [link]

This can lead to smaller social networks, isolation, tension in relationships, and distress:

  • Le Dorze, G., Salois-Bellerose, E., Alepins, M., Croteau, C., & Hallé M.-C. (2014). ‘A description of the personal and environmental determinants of participation several years post-stroke according to the views of people who have aphasia’, Aphasiology. [link]

Communication partner training (CPT) has been shown to help with communication needs:

  • Simmons-Mackie, N., Raymer, A., Armstrong, E., Holland, A. L., & Cherney, L. R. (2010). ‘Communication partner training in aphasia: A systematic review’, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 91, 1814-1837. [link]
  • Simmons-Mackie, N., Raymer, A., & Cherney, L. R. (2016). ‘Communication partner training in aphasia: An updated systematic review’, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 97, 2202–2221.e8. [link]

Making communication better is important to people with aphasia and their families:

  • Wallace, S. J., Worrall, L., Rose, T., Le Dorze, G., Cruice, M., Isaksen, J., & Gauvreau, C. A. (2017). ‘Which outcomes are most important to people with aphasia and their families? an international nominal group technique study framed within the ICF’, Disability and Rehabilitation, 39, 1364–1379. [link]

Making communication better is important to aphasia clinicians and managers too:

  • Wallace, S., Worrall, L., Rose, T., & Le Dorze, G. (2017). ‘Which treatment outcomes are most important to aphasia clinicians and managers? An international e-Delphi consensus study’, Aphasiology, 31, 643–673. [link]

Communication partner training is complex, made up of lots of different parts. CPT can include education about aphasia and communication, filming and watching back conversations, getting feedback, self-reflection, and practising new ways of communicating:

  • Isaksen, J., Blom Johnasson, M., Cruice, M., & Horton, S. (2018). ‘Essential elements of communication partner training – can they be identified using the TIDieR checklist?’ Aphasiology, 32 (suppl1), 99-110. [link]

Bringing key stakeholders together (people with aphasia, family members, speech and language therapists, researchers) can help improve CPT research.

CPT needs to bring about meaningful, desirable changes for people with aphasia and their families.

And more needs to be done to develop a CPT programme that can be delivered by speech and language therapists working in the NHS.

  • Cruice, M., Blom Johansson, M., Isaksen, J., & Horton, S. (2018). ‘Reporting interventions in communication partner training: A critical review and narrative synthesis of the literature’, Aphasiology, 32:10, 1135-1166. [link]
  • Sirman, N., Beeke, S. & Cruice, M. (2017). Professionals’ perspectives on delivering conversation therapy in clinical practice. Aphasiology, 31(4), pp. 465-494. [link]

Most CPT research has focused on the English language. We must prioritise language and cultural diversity in CPT going forwards.

  • Pak-Hin Kong, A., Pui-Yan Chan, K., & Jagoe, C. (2021). Systematic Review of Training Communication Partners of Chinese-speaking Persons With Aphasia. Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation, 3(4). [link]

The APT project looked at behaviour change theory. We referred to the Theory and Techniques Tool which is a useful heatmap representing evidence established from published studies and expert consensus on the links between mechanisms of action and behaviour change techniques (BCT-MoA links). This tool was developed as part of the Human Behaviour Change project. For more information about this tool and its development, please check out their website.