ISOCC – The Interaction Between Subjective and Objective Difficulties in Cognitive Communication Disorder
Short description
The project investigates how language and communication impairments affect people with acquired brain injury or post-COVID-19 condition from a longitudinal perspective. The project focuses on individuals’ own experiences of their language and communication, with particular emphasis on those with mild or moderate impairments.
Background
Acquired brain injuries and neurological diseases are common and often have consequences for both language and communication ability. This may involve occasionally losing words or having difficulties participating in multi-party conversations, which can create great frustration for the affected individual and lead to social limitations.
We know that, for many people affected, language and communication difficulties are chronic and something they live with for the rest of their lives. It is also known that these language and communication difficulties lead to poorer quality of life and limitations in everyday life. However, we know less about how individuals’ own experiences of these difficulties change and develop over time.
In this research project, we explore and compare language and communication difficulties resulting from different types of acquired brain injury, as well as the consequences of these difficulties in everyday life. The project includes people with post-COVID-19 condition, as several international studies have shown that language and communication difficulties may occur and resemble those seen in people with acquired brain injury.
The aim of the project is to identify factors that may contribute to positive change and thereby lead to better quality of life. We will also map how language and communication are affected by different types of brain injury, and whether similar difficulties are seen in people with post-COVID-19 condition. The long-term goal is for the knowledge generated in this project to contribute to improved treatment and support for those affected by acquired brain injury or post-COVID-19 condition.
Subprojects
The project consists of three substudies, all focusing on people with acquired brain injury and people with post-COVID-19 condition.
Substudy 1 is an interview study aimed at investigating how people who have developed language and communication difficulties experience these difficulties and their consequences in everyday life.
Substudy 2 is a questionnaire study in which we investigate how people with acquired brain injury or post-COVID-19 condition perceive the impact of language and communication difficulties on everyday life.
In Substudy 3, we follow a group of people with acquired brain injury over a two-year period to investigate what happens to their language and communication, and how this relates to their own experiences. The project combines questionnaire data with test data to follow participants over time and learn more about which factors are barriers or facilitators, as this has important clinical implications for people’s rehabilitation needs.
Group members
Marie Eckerström
Charlotta Saldert