ABSTRACT
Little is known about the recovery of narrative discourse after stroke. While several studies have analyzed the recovery of language in individuals with aphasia, few known studies exist on the recovery of narrative discourse in stroke survivors, particularly those who have not been diagnosed with aphasia. In this study, we evaluated the cohesiveness of narrative discourse in a cohort of individuals who had suffered a left-hemisphere stroke and had not been diagnosed with expressive language impairment. We analyzed their narrative discourse at 1, 6, and 12 months poststroke. Our findings indicate that, while the mean number of cohesive ties in narrative discourse remained generally constant during the first year poststroke, the percentage correct use of cohesive ties increased significantly during the same time period. These findings suggest that subtle disruptions in expressive language can be present initially in narrative discourse, and recovery from these disruptions can occur naturally over time.
Subject(s)
Aphasia/diagnosis , Aphasia/rehabilitation , Dominance, Cerebral , Speech Therapy/methods , Stroke Rehabilitation , Age Factors , Aged , Cohort Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Recovery of Function , Risk Assessment , Severity of Illness Index , Sex Factors , Speech Production Measurement , Stroke/diagnosis , Treatment Outcome , Verbal Behavior/physiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Functional assessment in stroke recovery extends beyond formal testing and evaluation. Stroke survivors themselves continuously engage in the process of reckoning their functional capacities as they go about their everyday lives. This process is called benchmarking. The aim of this article is to discuss and illustrate how it operates in three areas of experience--self-definition, comorbidity and age, and the tasks of daily life. METHODS: Benchmarking data are drawn from in-depth qualitative interviews with male stroke survivors of various ages and from three ethnic groups (Hispanic, African American, and non-Hispanic White). RESULTS: The results show that the benchmarking process is evident in all social categories in which survivors fall, but specific kinds of benchmarks may be more prominent in some categories than others. DISCUSSION: The lessons provided by everyday functional assessment for understanding the stroke experience, as well as directions for further study, are discussed in the conclusion.
