Communication partner training (CPT) aimed at dyads in which one member has aphasia is a recommendation made in documents describing best practices for aphasia rehabilitation. However, few studies describe the content of such an intervention in greater depth. Only information on activities and materials is provided but not on how the interaction takes place between the speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the members of a dyad. Nevertheless, many authors highlight the importance of better describing interventions in order to identify the elements explaining its effectiveness.

The aim of this study is to describe training strategies used by an SLP in a successful CPT with a couple in which one member has aphasia.
Specifically, feedback and modeling were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively in five conversational intervention sessions, relative to the person targeted and the time (present or deferred).

The results will present the different categories and definitions of feedback and modeling we developed and how the SLP used them in the intervention. For example, she used “positive reinforcement” to promote existing efficient communicative strategies. She usually did not aim to directly suppress ineffective behaviors. While watching the couple’s previous conversations, the SLP gave deferred modeling on the participants’ communication strategies and their consequences. The total number of “positive reinforcement” and “adjustment feedback” was similar for both partners. However, the spouse received more modeling in real-time conversation than the person with aphasia who received almost exclusively “prompting”.

More research is still needed to document which aspects of CPT is more efficient.

GUIDING DYADS IN WHICH ONE MEMBER HAS APHASIA IN COMMUNICATION PARTNER TRAINING: “HOW DO WE DO IT?”