Goal recognition in aphasia therapy

Abstract

Abstract Aphasia therapy is a multidimensional process. A distinction is made between guidance and structural aphasia therapy. For the application of structural therapy patient selection and goal recognition are necessary prerequisites. The delineation of the final therapeutic goal requires a multiaxial description of the patients analogous to the DSM III-R system, reflecting the underlying disease, the language disorder, the concomitant neuropsychological and speech disorders and the responsiveness to therapeutic intervention. An improvement of communication in real life, the final goal of aphasia therapy, requires a succession of methods in view of the following subgoals: knowledge of verbal and nonverbal skills, communication with an informed partner, communication with an inexperienced partner and communication in real life.