Toward Self-Regulated Learning in Aphasia Rehabilitation

Abstract

Active collaboration between speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and persons with aphasia (PWA) is essential for personalizing aphasia treatment and optimizing clinical outcomes during aphasia rehabilitation. Studies have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of collaboration between SLPs and PWA during the goal setting phase of the intervention process in aphasia rehabilitation. However, it remains unclear whether this collaboration as well as PWA’s feedback can be applied and be beneficial to all phases of aphasia rehabilitation. Here we introduce a theoretical framework of self-regulated learning (SRL) for aphasia rehabilitation that spotlights the role of PWA’s feedback in all phases of the rehabilitation process. We review studies on models of SRL in educational psychology and evidence from clinical aphasiology and neurolinguistics. Based on the evidence, we argue that PWA’s feedback is beneficial for optimizing all phases of the intervention process in aphasia rehabilitation. To make this work, communicative barriers to collaborative, patient-centered goal setting must be minimized or eliminated to facilitate alternative channels for receiving PWA’s feedback which will promote their engagement in aphasia rehabilitation. Also, insights from PWA’s feedback can help SLPs to select tasks and treatments that promote PWA’s engagement in the intervention process, which, in turn, can maximize aphasia recovery. PWA can be active participants in the whole intervention process and SLPs can use information from PWA’s feedback to improve the personalization of the whole intervention process to maximize clinical outcomes.