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Biomedical subjects

C M Shewan

Publications and source records attributed to C M Shewan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Analysis of spontaneous language in the older normal population.

Language sample data from normal subjects, spanning an age range of 40-79, were collected in order to determine how normal aging might affect performance on a picture description task, routinely used for assessment of aphasic individuals. The Shewan Spontaneous Language Analysis system was used to analyze each sample. For most variables, performance was stable across the age span studied, with no significant changes indicated with aging. However, a significant increase in the number of paraphasias and a significant decrease in communication efficiency were observed with an increase in age. Establishing normative data is necessary to separate aging effects from the communication impairment in the older population.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Expressive language recovery in aphasia using the Shewan Spontaneous Language Analysis (SSLA) system.

The oral expressive language of a group of aphasic subjects was measured on two occasions approximately one year apart to determine what changes took place during this period and whether these changes were significant. The SSLA system was used to evaluate the aphasic language samples obtained from a picture description task. Positive changes toward normal language functioning occurred for several variables. Type of aphasia affected the outcome of several variables. The rank ordering of aphasia types from most to least impaired was similar across these variables, thereby suggesting similar outcome patterns. Initial severity of aphasia also influenced the outcome of several SSLA variables. However, the degree of concordance of the severity groups across variables was not statistically significant. Treatment had a positive effect on the outcome of only one SSLA variable. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A comparison of three methods to evaluate change in the spontaneous language of aphasic individuals.

Three methods for evaluating change in the spontaneous language of aphasic subjects were compared. Clinical judgments (CJ) of experienced speech-language pathologists showed excellent agreement and served as a comparison with the Shewan Spontaneous Language Analysis (SSLA) and the WAB Spontaneous Speech subtest. Although reliable and easy to use, however, the CJ method does not provide comprehensive information needed for treatment planning. The SSLA, although more time-consuming, provided comprehensive information and agreed highly with CJ for detecting change. The WAB method, although almost as economical timewise as the CJ method, did not agree as highly with CJ and did not provide adequate information for treatment planning.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A new perspective in evaluating clinical effectiveness: the UWO Clinical Grading System.

To improve assessment of the performance of speech-language pathology students in clinical practicum, faculty and students in the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Western Ontario developed a new evaluation instrument, the UWO Clinical Grading System (UWO-CGS). This article reports on the development and field-testing of the UWO-CGS and includes estimates of the instrument's intrasupervisor and intersupervisor reliability. Results of content-related, construct-related, and criterion-related investigations are reported to support the inference that the UWO-CGS is a valid measure of the clinical effectiveness of student speech-language pathologists.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1986

Altered acoustic cue discrimination in Broca's and conduction aphasics.

The present investigation explored the acoustic cue discrimination abilities of eight Broca's and four conduction aphasic patients and nine normal controls. A word-discrimination test was used to assess the subjects' ability to discriminate selected acoustic cues for distinctive features of phonemes. The words differed from one another by a selected minimal feature, such as stop-gap duration, duration of fricative noise, direction and extent of final format transition, or relative location of friction noise in the spectrum. Results indicated that performance for normal and aphasic subjects was poorer for altered temporal subtest items than for altered spectral subtest items. Within the spectral subtest, fewer Broca's aphasics than conduction aphasics passed the items, while 90% of the normals passed. Within the temporal subtest, fewer conduction aphasics than Broca's aphasics passed the items, while 75% of the normal subjects passed this subtest. The results support previous research suggesting that deficiencies in auditory processing of selected acoustic cues are not limited to Wernicke's aphasic individuals but may be found to a varying degree in several aphasic groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The Language Quotient (LQ): a new measure for the Western Aphasia Battery.

A new summary score, the Language Quotient (LQ), which reflects auditory comprehension, oral expression, reading, and writing performance, is described for the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB). As a summary score of the severity of the language impairment, the LQ is useful to clinicians both for assessment purposes and as an outcome measure to evaluate progress in aphasic patients as treatment proceeds. Reliability and validity of the LQ meet established standards for test construction.

Adult↗