Research
The long-term goal of our research is to improve the quality of life of monolingual and bilingual people with aphasia.
Select a title specified below to learn more about our current projects.
Most of the treatment research in aphasia is based on English speaking adults from western countries. However, many people in the world speak languages other than English, and more than half the world is bilingual. Within the United States, this population is rapidly increasing, and people with aphasia who are seeking language rehabilitation services have the right to receive language treatment in their preferred language. To best serve culturally and linguistically diverse persons with aphasia, it is critical that speech and language pathologists have access to evidence-based treatment materials that are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
AbSANT (abstract semantic associative networking training) is a naming intervention developed for English speaking persons with aphasia. In this project, we are examining the efficacy of AbSANT with Spanish speaking persons with aphasia.
We are currently recruiting Spanish speaking adults (monolingual or bilingual) with any type of aphasia. If interested in learning more, please contact Dr. Teresa Gray at graymatterlaboratory@gmail.com.
Project collaborator: Dr. Chaleece Sandberg, Penn State University
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of training abstract word retrieval in bilingual people with aphasia. Previous work has found that training abstract words results in improvement to abstract words and concrete words in monolingual patients with aphasia. Outcomes regarding bilingual populations are unclear. The goal of this project is to help to guide clinical decisions for monolingual and bilingual persons with aphasia.
We are currently recruiting bilingual (any language combination) adults with aphasia. Individuals can be balanced or unbalanced bilinguals with any type of aphasia. If interested in learning more, please contact Dr. Teresa Gray at graymatterlaboratory@gmail.com
Project collaborator: Dr. Chaleece Sandberg, Penn State University
Although Black people have a higher prevalence of stroke than any other racial group, they are less likely to receive speech and language services. In addition, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are historically excluded from speech, language, and hearing sciences research. Based on our preliminary data, Black adults with aphasia have reported that participating in a Black conversation group is beneficial to their well-being because it creates a safe space where they feel more comfortable to freely express themselves, e.g., use African American English without being judged and talk about the Black experience in America. Further, the majority of aphasia treatment research is based on White people, but racial minorities comprise 40% of the population. Thus, for speech and language pathologists to best serve their diverse patient population, it is critical that we better understand treatment methods that address diversity.
In this study we host a Black conversation group (led by Black student clinicians) so that Black people with aphasia are in the majority, compared to the typical aphasia group where Black PWA are in the minority. We are evaluating the efficacy of this group to ascertain why and how this group is beneficial for improved communication for Black PWA.
We are currently recruiting Black adults with aphasia. If interested in learning more, please contact Dr. Teresa Gray at graymatterlaboratory@gmail.com.
Collaborator: Dr. Jamie Azios, University of Louisiana at Lafayette