title: Screening for Language Disorders in Stroke: German Validation of the Language Screening Test (LAST).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Screening of aphasia in acute stroke is crucial for directing patients to early language therapy. The Language Screening Test (LAST), originally developed in French, is a validated language screening test that allows detection of a language deficit within a few minutes. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate two parallel German versions of the LAST.
  
  
  METHODS
  The LAST includes subtests for naming, repetition, automatic speech, and comprehension. For the translation into German, task constructs and psycholinguistic criteria for item selection were identical to the French LAST. A cohort of 101 stroke patients were tested, all of whom were native German speakers. Validation of the LAST was based on (1) analysis of equivalence of the German versions, which was established by administering both versions successively in a subset of patients, (2) internal validity by means of internal consistency analysis, and (3) external validity by comparison with the short version of the Token Test in another subset of patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two German versions were equivalent as demonstrated by a high intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.91. Furthermore, an acceptable internal structure of the LAST was found (Cronbach's α = 0.74). A highly significant correlation (r = 0.74, p < 0.0001) between the LAST and the short version of the Token Test indicated good external validity of the scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The German version of the LAST, available in two parallel versions, is a new and valid language screening test in stroke.
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Center, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland; Spitalzentrum Biel, Biel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koenig-Bruhin
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Center, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vanbellingen
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive and Restorative Neurology, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Center, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pflugshaupt
authors.affiliation: University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Annoni
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive and Restorative Neurology, Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Müri
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Center, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bohlhalter
authors.affiliation: Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Center, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland; ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nyffeler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001037:Aphasia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007807:Language Tests; D007808:Language Therapy; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014177:Translations
keywords: Aphasia; Language; Screening; Stroke