An exploration of UK speech and language therapists' treatment and management of functional communication disorders: A mixed-methods online survey.

Background: Functional Communication Disorders (FCDs) are one specific presentation of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). FND is characterised by neurological symptoms, such as sensory and motor symptoms, which are not explained by neurological disease. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) have expertise in managing communication disorders, including FCDs, though is not known is what clinicians do in practice to treat and manage FCDs.

Telehealth practice in aphasia: A survey of UK speech and language therapists, with a focus on assessment.

Background And Objectives: Evidence suggests telehealth in speech and language therapy can enhance access to care, cost-effectiveness and satisfaction. However, little is known about use of telehealth in the United Kingdom. Moreover, many assessments/outcome measures for aphasia have been tested for face-to-face administration only, posing challenges to reliable use within the telehealth context.

Understanding Dysphagia Care in Pakistan: A Survey of Current Speech Language Therapy Practice.

Dysphagia affects individuals across all ages and has pervasive and potentially life-threatening consequences. Individuals with dysphagia are assessed and treated by speech and language therapists (SLTs), however, little attention has been paid to their practices in Pakistan. This study aimed to explore SLTs practices for dysphagia assessment, signs and symptoms observed during evaluation, and management strategies, alongside barriers and facilitators to service delivery in Pakistan.

Core components of project-based intervention after acquired brain injury: Delivering meaningful groups online.

Background: Rehabilitation for cognitive-communication impairments following brain injury can be complex given the heterogenous nature of impairments post injury. Project-based intervention has the potential to improve communication skills and create a meaningful real-life context where individuals collaborate to develop a concrete product, which benefits others. While evidence for this intervention is emerging, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted increased use of telehealth interventions to serve people with brain injury.

Telehealth administration of narrative and procedural discourse: A UK and US comparison of traumatic brain injury and matched controls.

Background: Impaired discourse production is commonly reported for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Discourse deficits can negatively impact community integration, return to employment and quality of life. COVID-19 restrictions have reduced in-person assessment services for people with communication impairments.

The use of virtual reality in the rehabilitation of aphasia: a systematic review.

Purpose: This systematic review explored how virtual reality (VR) has been used to rehabilitate aphasia.

Materials And Methods: Empirical studies were included where VR was used to target language, well-being, or quality of life in adults with acquired language impairment. Degenerative communication disabilities were excluded.

Understanding and supporting peer relationships in adolescents with acquired brain injury: A stakeholder engagement study.

Peer relationship difficulties in adolescents with acquired brain injury (ABI) are under-recognized and targets for intervention are unclear. From a social constructionist position, this study aimed to engage with stakeholders to develop a collaborative understanding of peer relationship difficulties in adolescents with ABI and seek consultation on what might be required to improve them. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with four stakeholder groups: adolescents with ABI ( = 4); parents of adolescents with ABI ( = 7); adults who sustained an ABI in adolescence ( = 2); and specialist practitioners ( = 3).

A pilot economic evaluation of a feasibility trial for SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB) for post-stroke aphasia.

Objectives: To explore the feasibility of a full economic evaluation of usual care plus peer-befriending versus usual care control, and potential cost-effectiveness of peer-befriending for people with aphasia. To report initial costs, ease of instruments' completion and overall data completeness.

Design: Pilot economic evaluation within a feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Current practices and beliefs regarding supporting dating skills in rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury: a survey study.

Background: Relationships are important to quality of life after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there has been limited research into how to support dating skills or how professionals view this area.

Method: An online 52-item survey was developed and sent to professionals in the UK involved in rehabilitation after TBI.

SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB) feasibility trial: fidelity of peer-befriending for people with aphasia.

Objective: To evaluate systematically the fidelity of a peer-befriending intervention for people with aphasia.

Design: SUpporting wellbeing through Peer-befriending (SUPERB) was a feasibility randomised controlled trial comparing usual care to usual care +peer-befriending. This paper reports on the fidelity of all intervention aspects (training and supervision of providers/befrienders; intervention visits) which was evaluated across all areas of the Behaviour Change Consortium framework.

'Emotion is of the essence. … Number one priority': A nested qualitative study exploring psychosocial adjustment to stroke and aphasia.

Background: Stroke and aphasia can have a profound impact on people's lives, and depression is a common, frequently persistent consequence. Social networks also suffer, with poor social support associated with worse recovery. It is essential to support psychosocial well-being post-stroke, and examine which factors facilitate successful adjustment to living with aphasia.

Supporting wellbeing through peer-befriending (SUPERB) for people with aphasia: A feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of peer-befriending, for people with aphasia.

Design: Single-blind, parallel-group feasibility randomised controlled trial comparing usual care to usual care + peer-befriending.

Participants And Setting: People with aphasia post-stroke and low levels of distress, recruited from 5 NHS Hospitals and linked community services; their significant others; and 10 befrienders recruited from community.

Interventions that support adults with brain injuries, learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders in dating or romantic relationships: a systematic review.

Purpose: To evaluate the current evidence on dating interventions, their theoretical underpinnings and effectiveness for adult neuro-atypical populations.

Methods: A literature search was completed using CINAHL, Communication Source, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, MEDLINE, Embase, AMED and EMB Reviews (all), for English-language, peer-reviewed studies into interventions for relationships or dating among adults with acquired brain injuries (ABI), learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Demographic data and intervention details were extracted for all included studies.

Communication partner training in traumatic brain injury: a UK survey of Speech and Language Therapists' clinical practice.

Primary Objective: To explore the clinical practice of communication partner training by Speech and Language Therapists for people with traumatic brain injury in the UK.

Study Design: Online 97-item survey which addressed the practice of training both familiar and unfamiliar communication partners, and barriers and facilitators to implementation informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Participants: 169 Speech and Language Therapists from private and public settings in the UK.

Description and Effectiveness of Communication Partner Training in TBI: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: To evaluate the current evidence on communication partner training and its effectiveness on outcomes for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or their communication partners.

Methods: Information sources: Systematic searches of 9 databases (AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline/EBSCOHOST, PsycINFO, PsycBITE, PsycARTICLES, PubMed, and Scopus) from database inception to February 2019. Eligibility criteria: Empirical studies on interventions for adult communication partners where the primary focus of the program (>50%) was on improving communication skills of people with TBI and/or communication partners.

Reporting on novel complex intervention development for adults with social communication impairments after acquired brain injury.

Purpose: Interventions are often poorly described in published controlled trials, with relatively little information regarding intervention development, content and fidelity. This makes it difficult to conduct replication studies, interpret and compare findings across studies and for therapists to deliver the intervention in clinical practice. Complete reporting of interventions (including fidelity) is now recommended for treatment studies, and this standardized approach is achieved using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR).

Setting and achieving individualized social communication goals for people with acquired brain injury (ABI) within a group treatment.

Background: Cognitive-communication disorders are common following an acquired brain injury (ABI). Remediation should involve individualized goal-setting, yet few reports describe the effectiveness of setting communication goals in a group setting.

Aims: To describe a process for setting and achieving goals for people with ABI.

Participants' perspectives of feasibility of a novel group treatment for people with cognitive communication difficulties following acquired brain injury.

To determine whether treatment was acceptable to participants and perceived as beneficial by exploring the experiences of people with cognitive communication difficulties following acquired brain injury who participated in a novel, group, communication, project-based treatment. The purpose of the treatment was to improve participants' communication skills and quality of life, by focussing group activity towards the production of a project and by incorporating individualised communication goals into group sessions. Twenty-one people with acquired brain injury recruited from community settings participated in project-based treatment, which comprised one individual and nine group sessions (of 2-3 people) over six weeks.

Feasibility and initial efficacy of project-based treatment for people with ABI.

Background: Communication impairments are common and pervasive for people a long time following acquired brain injury (ABI). These impairments have a significant impact on a person's quality of life (QOL) post-injury. Project-based treatment is a treatment approach that could have an impact on communication skills and QOL for people with ABI a long-term post-injury.

Adjustment with aphasia after stroke: study protocol for a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial for SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR Befriending (SUPERB).

Background: Despite the high prevalence of mood problems after stroke, evidence on effective interventions particularly for those with aphasia is limited. There is a pressing need to systematically evaluate interventions aiming to improve wellbeing for people with stroke and aphasia. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a peer-befriending intervention.

Experiences from a communication training programme of paid carers in a residential rehabilitation centre for people with traumatic brain injury.

Purpose: To determine the impact of a communication training programme by exploring the experiences of paid carers who attended the programme in a residential rehabilitation centre for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Method: Five paid carers attended a communication training programme which comprised 17 hours (across 8 weeks). Semi-structured interviews were conducted pre- and post-training.

Evaluating communication training for paid carers of people with traumatic brain injury.

Primary Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a communication training programme for paid carers to improve their conversational interactions with people with TBI.

Research Design: Single blinded randomized controlled study.

Methods And Procedures: Ten paid carers were randomly selected from a post-acute residential rehabilitation programme and allocated to either a training or control group.