JCPSLP
Volume 14, Number 2 2012
59
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
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes (mouthing)
communication
Years since onset
1–3
> 10
>10
1–3
5–10
Length of
10–20
> 20
< 5 (18mths)
> 20
> 20
relationship (years)
Time spent with
1–3
1–3
5–10 (online)
All day
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,
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
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
N/A
N/A
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
Working full-time
Not in paid employment
Semi-retired
*All names are pseudonyms.