Article

Information about semantic categorization consistency may help
practitioners to implement augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
options for people with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
The researchers sought
to determine the consistency and extent of general consensus agreement with which
adults with TBI organize semantic information. METHODS: The researchers compared
the semantic categorization consistency of 10 participants with severe TBI to 10
neurotypical adults matched on age and gender. Participants performed a semantic
categorization task three times over a 1-month period. The experimental task
consisted of two stages: (a) sorting ordinate exemplars into superordinate
categories and (b) sorting subordinate exemplars into the previously established
ordinate categories. RESULTS: Results showed that participants with TBI were less
consistent across trials and more idiosyncratic than neurotypical peers in
placing exemplars within categories. Although some participants with TBI achieved
higher general consensus agreement scores with experimental task repetition,
their performance did not reach levels comparable to those of neurotypical
participants. CONCLUSIONS: Individually, semantic categorization patterns of some
people with severe TBI conform to those of neurotypical adults; patterns of
others do not. Some, but not all, survivors demonstrate increased consistency
given task repetition. These findings have implications for AAC design and
instruction for people with TBI. Implications for Rehabilitation Clinicians
should evaluate the manner in which an individual with TBI categorizes semantic
information rather than assuming that he/she intuitively uses the hierarchical
superordinate-ordinate-subordinate categorization pattern common to neurotypical
adults. Clinicians should evaluate the consistency with which an individual with
TBI categorizes semantic information before determining the manner of organizing
content within an AAC system or device. When individuals with TBI display
idiosyncratic and/or inconsistent patterns of semantic organization, clinicians
should explore the possibility that repeated exposure to specific lexical items
or direct instruction about categorization strategies will normalize and/or
stabilize performance.

Langue : ANGLAIS