Communicative accessibility and prospective acceptability of a digital behavioural activation intervention for people with aphasia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Behavioural Activation (BA) is a mental health treatment that encourages a person to develop or re-engage in activities that are pleasurable and meaningful to them. It is important to consider the ways such interventions can be made accessible and acceptable to individuals with communication disabilities like aphasia after stroke. Digital technologies may provide a scalable approach to increasing dissemination of BA to this population. Aims The aim of this study was to examine the communicative accessibility and prospective acceptability of a digital BA intervention developed for this population. Methods & Procedures A qualitative research design was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 11 people with aphasia caused by stroke. Data were subject to qualitative content analysis. Outcomes & Results The results suggest that participants found the developed intervention to be both overall accessible and acceptable. Participants suggested improvements that highlighted the importance of considering how an individual’s psychosocial and cognitive experience of stroke aphasia may influence their preferences for intervention layout and content. Conclusions Results of our study reiterated the importance of a user-centred design process to ensure the accessibility and acceptability of digital interventions. This work provides the foundation for ongoing design of the intervention. The continued development may also provide a framework for future development of accessible and acceptable digital interventions not only for those living with aphasia after stroke but others living with acquired language or cognitive disabilities.