Write here write now. What can we learn from the writing goals of people with aphasia?

Background: People with aphasia commonly have difficulties with producing written language (dysgraphia). Greater understanding of people with aphasia's rehabilitation goals for writing can inform development of evidence-based assessment and management tools. Aims: This qualitative study aimed to exp...

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Published in:Aphasiology Vol. 39; no. 9; pp. 1187 - 1205
Main Authors: Menger, Fiona, Wilkinson, Victoria, Webster, Janet
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Sep2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Sep2025
      vid: 39
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        10.1080/02687038.2024.2411077
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        atl: Write here write now. What can we learn from the writing goals of people with aphasia?
      aug:
        au:
          Menger, Fiona
          Wilkinson, Victoria
          Webster, Janet
        affil: School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
      sug:
        subj:
          Aphasia Therapy
          Speech Therapy
          Language Therapy
          Writing
          Goals and Objectives Evaluation
          Human
          Qualitative Studies
          Social Media
          Assistive Technology
          Thematic Analysis
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Aged, 80 and Over
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Aged, 80 & over
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: People with aphasia commonly have difficulties with producing written language (dysgraphia). Greater understanding of people with aphasia's rehabilitation goals for writing can inform development of evidence-based assessment and management tools. Aims: This qualitative study aimed to explore the nature of writing goals of people with aphasia who attended an intensive speech and language therapy (SLT) centre. Methods and Procedures: Qualitative data was obtained from five years-worth of client SLT reports from an intensive aphasia centre. Using qualitative content analysis, a deductive coding framework was used to identify any description of writing goals; coding incorporated iterative refinement and agreement among authors. Themes were then constructed to reflect clients' goals to inform writing assessment and therapies. Outcomes and Results: Qualitative analysis focused on content describing 66 goals on writing from 87 reports. There were two dominant interrelated themes: Supporting Communication (33 goals) and Technology (25 goals). Technology included subthemes on Emailing, Texting, Social Media, and Assistive Technology. Two smaller themes were Impairment Focused (4 goals), where goals did not have a clear functional direction, and Other (4 goals), where goals targeted specific writing activities, e.g. crosswords. Conclusions: These thematic findings demonstrate the varied real-life goals for writing among attendees at an aphasia centre. They highlight the nature of relatively early-stage rehabilitation goals for individuals with aphasia, focusing on supporting communication and returning to valued activities. The results provide a context within which we can scrutinise the adequacy of current clinical tools to support goal setting, assess functional writing and design interventions for acquired writing difficulties. Further guidance is needed on assessment of writing as a supportive communication strategy and therapy towards improving this skill. There are also gaps in supporting the personal goals of people with aphasia who wish to produce written language via technology or in online environments. Future research should recognise these priorities and work together with people with aphasia, clinicians, and technology specialists to address an area of clinical need.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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