JCPSLP Vol 14 No 2 2012

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

JCPSLP

Volume 14, Number 2 2012

communication disorder (speech/language), and

progression of communication disorder (degenerative/

non-degenerative). At least one participant who met the

criterion for each category was recruited. Participant details

with the maximum variation sampling characteristics, and

full biographical details, are presented in Table 1. For full

biographical details of the spouses/partners see Table 2.

Pseudonyms were used throughout the study in order to

protect the identity of the participants. Participants and their

partners ranged in age from 32 to 68 years and were of NZ

European or English ethnicities. Additional identifying data

such as occupation are not reported in order to protect

participants’ identity.

Interview procedure

Data collection involved joint and individual semi-structured

interviews with the participants. The semi-structured

interviews were transcribed and then provided to

participants to read, edit, and confirm. This provided

participants with the opportunity to modify the transcript, if

required, to ensure that it was an accurate representation of

their thoughts and experiences. This procedure

endeavoured to verify the validity of the data. All

participants were also offered the opportunity to

supplement interviews with email responses to any of the

questions from the topic guide.

Participants

Participants were recruited through support groups and

speech-language therapists who worked with people using

AAC. For inclusion in the study participants with an

acquired communication disorder were required to: (a) be

aged 18 years or over, with an acquired communication

disorder; (b) be in a current long-term relationship with a

spouse or partner who was also willing to participate in the

study; (c) have had experiences using AAC some or all of

the time as a mode of communication because of their

acquired communication disorder; d) be able to participate

in an in-depth interview in English using speech and/or

AAC. Six dyads met the eligibility criteria for the

investigation. One of these dyads initially agreed to

participate, but then withdrew due to personal matters. Five

participants with an acquired communication disorder and

five partner participants participated in the study.

Sampling

Maximum variation sampling, a type of purposeful

sampling, was used in this study. This involved identifying

“diverse characteristics of particular interest in constructing

the sample to maximise the variation in a small sample”

(Patton, 2002, p. 235). Sampling was sought for these

characteristics: gender (male/female), type of

Table 1. Biographical details of the five adults with acquired communication disorders

Participant*

David

Laura

James

Clive

Deb

Sex (Age)

Male (38)

Female (44)

Male (32)

Male (57)

Female (52)

Diagnosis

Motor neuron disease Aphasia resulting

Locked-in syndrome Locked-in syndrome Tracheal stenosis

from stroke

resulting from

resulting from brain requiring tracheos-

traumatic head &

stem stroke

tomy, causing loss

neck injury

of voice

Spoken

Yes

Yes (mouthing)

communication

Years since onset

1–3

> 10

>10

1–3

5–10

Length of

10–20

> 20

< 5 (18mths)

> 20

relationship (years)

Time spent with

1–3

5–10 (online)

All day

partner per day

(hours)

Types of

Electronic – EZ keys,

Written, Spoken,

Perspex eye-gaze,

Alphabet board,

Electrolarynx Nu-Vois

communication used

Gesture – vocalisa-

Sign language,

Alphabet board,

Spoken,

III, Written, Gesture,

tions, Head nods,

Gestures,

Spoken (mouthing)

Facial expression

Communication book

Computer

Main communication

MSN, Emails,

Spoken, Text message Perspex eye-gaze,

Spoken

Spoken (mouthing)

with partner

Text message, Skype,

Alphabet board,

Electrolarynx

Gestures

Nu-Vois III

Employment status

Retired

Not working

Working part-time

Not working

Living arrangements

Living with partner,

Living with partner

Living alone, with

Living with partner,

Living with partner

with full-time carers

full-time carers

with part- time carers

Co-existing

N/A

Meniere’s disease

conditions

*All names are pseudonyms.

Table 2. Biographical details of the five partners/spouses of adults with acquired communication disorders

Participant*

Maggie

Steve

Hannah

Janet

Henry

Sex (Age)

Female (38)

Male (48)

Female (37)

Female (55)

Male (68)

Marital status

Wife

Husband

Partner/girlfriend

Wife

Partner

Employment status

Not in paid employment

Working full-time

Not in paid employment

Semi-retired

*All names are pseudonyms.