Abstract
Treatment for people with aphasia mainly concentrates on facilitating the communication
of needs or providing facts. This focus is in danger of downplaying the significance
of the expression of attitudes and emotion. Evaluative expression is critical for
recreating identity and social interaction. However, the linguistic expression of
emotions following aphasia has been insufficiently explored. This study aimed to determine
which semantic-lexical devices people with aphasia used to express their opinions
and views about their clinicians and rehabilitation. In-depth interviews with 50 people
with aphasia describing their emotions during their rehabilitation were analyzed using
the appraisal framework comprising appreciation, affect, and judgment. Speakers also
graded their attitudes toward people, things, or events. Almost half of instances
expressed appreciation, over one-third expressed judgment, and about 16% expressed
affect. Amplification of emotions was used frequently, in over 40% of instances. Affective
difficulties following aphasia and other brain injuries are among the most important
factors for rehabilitation, social reintegration, and the burden on family members.
To ameliorate these issues, the focus of rehabilitation in aphasia needs to shift
from expressing needs toward facilitating the expression of opinions and feelings
and providing people with aphasia with the opportunities and means to express their
views on their healthcare.
Keywords
aphasia - evaluation - rehabilitation - emotional expression - appraisal - attitudes
