Development and validation of Thought, Language, and Communication Assessment Scale for Persons with Aphasia
Open AccessAuthors
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Sampath Muthu Lakshmipriya
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, School of Rehabilitation and Behavioral Sciences, Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation (DU), Puducherry, India
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7362-3129
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Nagaraj Hema
Department of Speech-Language Sciences, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4177-6839
Keywords:
TLCAS-PWA, Language and Thought Impairment, Aphasia, TLC interrelatedAbstract
Introduction: Aphasia impacts language and thought organization, disrupting effective communication. Thought, Language, and Communication (TLC) are interrelated, and breakdowns in one domain often affect the others. A comprehensive assessment tool is essential to understand and address these interlinks. This study aimed to develop and validate the Thought, Language, and Communication Assessment Scale for Persons with Aphasia (TLCAS-PWA) for Persons with Aphasia (PWA) and Neurotypical Individuals (NTI).
Method: The tool was developed through literature review and expert validation, comprising 14 parameters across communication, language, and thought domains, rated on a 5-point scale. It was administered to 20 PWA and 20 NTI.
Results: Among PWA, PCS showed the highest mean scores, while Self-reference was least frequent. At the domain level, both PWA and NTI had higher scores in Communication Disorder and lower in Language Disorder. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed significant differences between groups across all the domains. Psychometric analysis showed good internal consistency (α = 0.88), excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.98), and stable test–retest reliability.
Conclusion: TLCAS-PWA is a valid tool that aids clinicians in assessing TLC in aphasia, supporting diagnosis, intervention, and progress monitoring.
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