Acquired Alexia in Multilingual Aphasia and Computer-Assisted Treatment in Both Languages: Issues of Generalisation and Transfer

Vol. 53, No. 3, 2001

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Communication Disorders in Multilingual Populations
Guest Editors: Marion Fredman, Haifa, Israel; Nick Miller, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Paper

Acquired Alexia in Multilingual Aphasia and Computer-Assisted Treatment in Both Languages: Issues of Generalisation and Transfer
Marina Laganaro^a,b, Mary Overton Venet^a,c

^aSection de Psychologie, FPSE, Université de Genève et Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève,
^bClinique de Rééducation et
^cHôpital de Loëx, Genève, Suisse

Address of Corresponding Author

Folia Phoniatr Logop 2001;53:135-144 (DOI: 10.1159/000052668)

Key Words

Alexia
Aphasia
Treatment
Bilingual
Computerized

Abstract

This single-subject study addresses the issue of investigation and remediation of an acquired reading impairment observed in a Spanish-English bilingual speaker. Detailed bilingual reading testing showed parallel disturbances in the two languages, both from a qualitative and a quantitative point of view, with characteristics of letter-by-letter and aphasic alexia. On the basis of this mixed pattern, common to both languages, a two-step computer-assisted remediation programme was designed for English, then for Spanish, using a crossover AB-AB design. Therapy A consisted of tasks aimed at the inhibition of letter-by-letter reading. This was alternated with therapy B, which was designed to address phonological assembly. Results on therapy reveal transfer of gains when common reading processing are involved and language-specific gains with a greater benefit on the mother tongue when phonological representations are required in therapy and assessment. Consequences for language choice in bilingual aphasia therapy are discussed on the basis of these results.

Author Contacts

M. Laganaro
Section de Psychologie, FPSE, Université de Genève
Boulevard du Pont d'Arve, CH-1211 Genève (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 22 705 91 42, Fax +41 22 705 91 59
E-Mail marina.laganaro@pse.unige.ch

Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 10
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 21

Medline Abstract (ID 11316940)

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