Performance Deviations in the Connected Speech of Adults With No Brain Damage and Adults With Aphasia

A rule-based system was used to score performance deviations in the connected speech of 40 adults with no brain damage, 10 adults with fluent aphasia, and 10 adults with nonfluent aphasia. Performance deviations were productions that did not qualify as words or as correct information units (CIUs) (Nicholas & Brookshire, 1993). They were assigned to 2 nonword categories (part-words or unintelligible productions and nonword filler) and 8 non-CIU categories (inaccurate words, false starts, unnecessary exact repetitions, nonspecific or vague words, filler words, the word and, offtask or irrelevant words, and uncategorizable productions). Speech samples from both aphasic groups contained significantly greater percentages of inaccurate words, false starts, and part-words or unintelligible productions than those of the non-brain-damaged group. In comparison with the non-brain-damaged group, speech samples from the fluent aphasic group contained significantly greater percentages of unnecessary exact repetition, whereas those of the nonfluent aphasic group contained significantly greater percentages of the word and and nonword filler. The only significant difference between the two aphasic groups was for nonword filler, with the nonfluent aphasic group producing more than the fluent aphasic group. Individual aphasic subjects showed performance that generally was consistent with that of their group.

Key Words: aphasia, discourse (production), deviations

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