The thesis sheds light on how persons with aphasia participate in conversations. It helps us understand the opportunities and challenges persons with aphasia face when talking to others.
Aphasia, a communication disability typically caused by brain damage, such as a stroke, affects millions of individuals worldwide. Persons with aphasia often encounter difficulties in their participation and frequently experience exclusion from social activities due to their communication challenges. Engaging in conversations may become difficult for many persons with aphasia, impacting their overall quality of life.
The study uses Conversation Analysis (CA) to examine conversational activities, such as storytelling, planning, and requesting, to provide insights into how participation of persons with aphasia manifests in real-life conversations.
The research involved the analysis of conversations by four persons with aphasia, along with their partners, children, and friends. It showed that these persons with aphasia actively engage in activities with family and friends in spite of aphasia. This active participation is enabled by collaborating with their conversation partners. However, aphasia may influence parental authority in interactions with young children, thus affecting participation in family life.
The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the societal roles by persons with aphasia, including their roles as partners, friends, and parents. It raises awareness of how participation can be achieved, despite the presence of aphasia. The findings have the potential to inform rehabilitation programs, thereby improving the quality of life of persons with aphasia.
Helene Killmer successfully defended her dissertation on 06 October 2023.
Trial lecture
Designated topic: "Challenges and possibilities of transferring conversation analytic insights into intervention practices"
Evaluation committee
- Associate Professor Antonia Lina Krummheuer, Aalborg University (first opponent)
- Professor Minna Sirpa M Laakso, University of Helsinki (second opponent)
- Associate professor Marja Etelämäki, University of Oslo (committee administrator)
Chair of the defence
- Associate professor Alessandro Palumbo
Supervisors
- Professor Jan Svennevig, University of Agder
- Associate Professor Suzanne Beeke, University College London