title: Family Ratings of Communication Largely Reflect Expressive Language and Conversation-Level Ability in People With Aphasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Family ratings of communication and social interactions represent an important source of information about people with aphasia. Because of the reliance on family/partner ratings as an outcome measure in many aphasia treatment studies and in the clinic, there is a great need for the validation of commonly used family/partner rating measures, and a better understanding of predictors of family ratings of communication.
  
  
  METHODS
  The communication ability of 130 individuals with aphasia due to neurologic illness was rated by family members/partners on the Communicative Effectiveness Index (CETI; Lomas et al., 1989). Information on aphasia severity, mood, quality of life, nonverbal cognitive functioning, and various demographic factors was collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Principal component analysis confirmed a 2-factor model best represents the relationships among CETI rating items, and this model largely consists of a conversation-level ability factor. Family ratings were largely predicted by the patient's expressive (not receptive) language but also patient self-perceived quality of communication life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family/partners typically rate the effectiveness of communication based largely on expressive language, despite the fact that other aspects of the aphasia (e.g., listening comprehension) are as important for everyday communication.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fucetola
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tabor Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001290:Attitude; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007808:Language Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013068:Speech Production Measurement