Purpose: Discourse analysis is an important component of aphasia assessment because it can provide insight into functional communication abilities of the participants. Understanding the essence of discourse becomes pivotal, as it is the most rudimentary way of communication in individuals’ daily routine. Hence, the present study aimed to explore the superiority of different discourse elicitation tasks in persons with fluent aphasia (PwFA). Methods: A total of six PwFA were recruited for the study. These participants were assessed for their discourse abilities using three tasks: picture description, conversation, and narration. The participants' discourse samples were analysed using the discourse analysis scale. In all these tasks, the propositional and non-propositional aspects of communication were evaluated. After recording the responses, the scores of each task (picture description, conversation, and narration) were consolidated to compute the discourse quotient. Results: Quantitative analysis revealed significant differences across general conversation compared to narration and picture description tasks. Out of these three tasks, general conversation is outperformed the other two tasks. Further, the individual case-wise analysis showed similar pattern of results. Conclusion: The findings of this study hold significant implications for both clinical practice and research. Understanding the potency and setbacks of different discourse genres aids speech language pathologist to analyse the discourse elicited from different genres using different cutoff values. Despite the positive findings of the current study the findings of the study should be interpreted meticulously due to the small sample size and the limited ecological validity of the study.

Background/Objectives: The Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team approach to rehabilitation of persons with aphasia (PWA). However, the efficacy of treatment provided by SLPs can vary due to several factors related to clinicians, patients, and the availability of services. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating current practices in aphasia rehabilitation, key challenges, and future directions as perceived by the SLPs in the Indian context. Methods: The study was conducted using a web-based survey comprising a 32-item questionnaire to gather information related to demographic and professional details, knowledge and use of aphasia rehabilitation approaches, patient education, counselling, bilingual & multilingual contexts, and challenges faced by SLPs. A total of 142 responses were analyzed after initial screening to assess the knowledge, use, and confidence of aphasia rehabilitation along with challenges faced by SLPs in the Indian context. Results: The results indicated significant challenges in the assessment of aphasia due to a lack of formal screening and diagnostic languages in several languages. Further, the results also indicated variations in the knowledge level and confidence in the use of various approaches to aphasia rehabilitation, which warrants the urgent need for organizing short-term training programs for SLPs. The participants also self-reported significant challenges in managing bilingual and multilingual patients with aphasia due to differences in their knowledge and confidence in the selection of language for treatment. On the other side, major patient-related challenges include inadequate logistics, lack of funding, unavailability of speech and language therapy services, social acceptance, and support from family members. The participants also reported the necessity of improving tele-rehabilitation services and developing materials and mobile apps for rehabilitation in Indian languages as future directions for aphasia rehabilitation. Conclusions: The present study through a self-reported questionnaire identified key challenges in aphasia rehabilitation related to the clinician and PWA in the Indian context. The results of the study warrant the need for immediate action to overcome the challenges to enhance the rehabilitation services to PWAs.

Recovery from aphasia is a complex process involving restoring language ability to a level comparable to an individual’s pre-aphasia state. This recovery extends beyond linguistic functions such as improved quality of life and functional communication. Understanding language recovery in PWAs is a key area in aphasia research. Thus, the current study aimed to understand the pattern of language recovery in the acute and sub-acute stages of persons with aphasia (PWAs). A total of 11 PWAs aged between 40 and 80 were recruited. The study was conducted in two phases. In the acute stage (within one week post-stroke), participants were assessed using the Western Aphasia Battery-Kannada (WAB-K). In the sub-acute stage (between seven and fifteen days post-stroke), a similar test battery was repeated. The findings of the study showed auditory verbal comprehension scores were pronounced in the acute and sub-acute stages of recovery. Further, language quotient (LQ) scores were higher in the sub-acute stage compared to the acute stage, though these differences failed to evince statistical differences. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations between LQ and spontaneous speech, repetition, and naming, with moderate correlations for auditory verbal comprehension. The study’s findings highlight the importance of targeted therapeutic interventions for PWAs, emphasizing an early focus on auditory verbal comprehension to enhance overall language recovery.

Purpose Ageing is associated with a decline in physical, physiological, and cognitive-linguistic abilities, impacting language and social participation. Discourse, a critical aspect of language, involves the integration of phonology, lexicon, syntax, cohesion, and coherence. Examining variations in discourse types is essential for understanding age-related changes and improving language assessment and treatment strategies. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of ageing on discourse production across different discourse types. Methods This study recruited 120 neurotypical, Konkani-Kannada bilingual participants. Participants were divided into three age groups: young adults (18–35 years), middle-aged adults (35.1–55 years), and older adults (55.1–70 years). Discourse tasks included picture description, narration, and conversation, conducted in Konkani, their native language. Responses were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the Discourse Analysis Scale. Discourse Quotient was calculated for each task through qualitative analysis. Results Significant differences in discourse performance were observed across all three types among the three groups. Additionally, significant differences were noted across discourse types within young, middle, and older adults. However, older adults exhibited a different pattern of performance, performing poorer on picture description compared to the other two types and their counterpart groups. Conclusion The study highlights the influence of ageing and task type on discourse production, with older adults facing greater challenges in narrative tasks. These findings emphasize the need for speech-language pathologists to consider the linguistic and cognitive demands of older adults in clinical interventions, enabling the development of more effective language assessment and therapy programs.

Objectives: Picture-naming tasks are widely used to assess language abilities in Persons with Aphasia (PWAs). However, the lack of standardized visual materials and the continued use of outdated assessment tools has resulted in significant variability in the use of images. Consequently, it is essential for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to carefully select effective and appropriate images for both assessment and intervention. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the influence of different image types—real images, black-andwhite line drawings, and graphical images—on word training in Kannada-speaking PWAs. Methods: Sixteen PWAs, aged between 35 to 59 years, participated in the study. The training was structured into four phases: pre-treatment, treatment, post-treatment, and followup phases. Each participant received training using all three image types across six individual sessions. Naming accuracy was measured at each phase to assess the effectiveness of the stimuli. Results: Findings indicated a significant improvement in naming accuracy from pre- to post-treatment phases (p<.05), demonstrating the efficacy of image-based training. Among the three image types, real photographs yielded the most robust and sustained effects, showing greater gains in both the post-treatment and follow-up assessments compared to line drawings and graphical images. Conclusion: The study highlights the critical role of image selection in aphasia rehabilitation. Real images were found to be more effective than other image types in facilitating naming accuracy, suggesting their preferential use in clinical practice. These findings offer preliminary evidence to inform clinical decision-making and support the development of standardized visual materials for therapeutic use with PWAs.