Toevoeging van nieuwe linguïstische en communicatieve maten binnen de huidige ASTA

The analysis for spontaneous language in aphasia (ASTA; Boxum, Van der Scheer & Zwaga, 2013) is the official Dutch protocol for analysing spontaneous speech. At the moment, the ASTA includes twelve linguistic measures. This paper describes the outcomes of two explorative studies to the necessity of adding new linguistic and communicative measures. In comparing aphasic and non-language disturbed speakers considering these new measures it was found that speakers with aphasia produced a significantly lower number of words per minute and a higher number of pauses than the control speakers. In the aphasia group, also a significantly higher number of false starts, a higher number of incomplete expressions, a higher number of excluded words, a lower number of relevant answers, a higher number of stereotypes, a lower number of adjectives, and a lower number of linking verbs were found. It will be discussed that some of these measures are relevant to be included in the ASTA. Also, having more measures to use, the therapy advice for speakers with aphasia can be made more specific.