A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report
PurposeTo explore and describe a trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in dyadic interaction with adults with Rett syndrome.IntroductionResponsive partner strategies facilitate social, communicative, and linguistic development. The common feature is that the communication part...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989319/full |
| _version_ | 1811206902317580288 |
|---|---|
| author | Helena Wandin Helena Wandin Per Lindberg Karin Sonnander |
| author_facet | Helena Wandin Helena Wandin Per Lindberg Karin Sonnander |
| author_sort | Helena Wandin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PurposeTo explore and describe a trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in dyadic interaction with adults with Rett syndrome.IntroductionResponsive partner strategies facilitate social, communicative, and linguistic development. The common feature is that the communication partner responds contingently to the other’s focus of attention and interprets their acts as communicative. Research on responsive partner strategies that involves individuals with significant communication and motor disabilities remains sparse. The same applies to if, and how, the use of communication aids impacts on the partner’s use of responsive strategies.Materials and methodsA therapist, trained in responsive partner strategies and aided communication interacted during 14 sessions with each of three participants. The participants were adults with Rett syndrome. A gaze-controlled device and responsive strategies were used during all sessions. The Responsive Augmentative and Alternative Communication Style scale (RAACS) was used to assess the partner’s responsiveness. RAACS consists of 11 items including ratings of to what extent the partner is being attentive to, confirms, and expands the individual’s communication. During eight of the 14 sessions, aided AAC Modelling was also used, i.e., the communication partner pointed at symbols on the gaze-controlled device while interacting. In addition to RAACS, each time the communication partner confirmed or expanded on communication when (a) the participants used the gaze-controlled device and (b) the participants did not use the gaze-controlled device was counted. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results. Non-parametric tests were used to compare means between the two conditions and between participants.ResultsInter-rater agreement for the different RAACS items ranged from 0.73 to 0.96 and was thus found to be fair to excellent. The communication partner’s use of responsive strategies varied when communicating with different participants and the scores were higher when aided AAC modeling was used. The communication partner’s number of responses and use of responsive strategies were higher when the participants communicated through a gaze-controlled device.ConclusionThe communication partner’s use of responsive and scaffolding strategies is not a fixed construct but varies in interactions with different non-speaking persons. The same is true whether the non-speaking person uses a gaze-controlled device with digitized speech or not. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:54:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e06e187735a45e38d38349564552692 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:54:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e06e187735a45e38d383495645526922022-12-22T03:48:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-09-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.989319989319A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case reportHelena Wandin0Helena Wandin1Per Lindberg2Karin Sonnander3Disability and Habilitation, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenNational Center for Rett Syndrome and Related Disorders, Frösön, SwedenClinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenDisability and Habilitation, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenPurposeTo explore and describe a trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in dyadic interaction with adults with Rett syndrome.IntroductionResponsive partner strategies facilitate social, communicative, and linguistic development. The common feature is that the communication partner responds contingently to the other’s focus of attention and interprets their acts as communicative. Research on responsive partner strategies that involves individuals with significant communication and motor disabilities remains sparse. The same applies to if, and how, the use of communication aids impacts on the partner’s use of responsive strategies.Materials and methodsA therapist, trained in responsive partner strategies and aided communication interacted during 14 sessions with each of three participants. The participants were adults with Rett syndrome. A gaze-controlled device and responsive strategies were used during all sessions. The Responsive Augmentative and Alternative Communication Style scale (RAACS) was used to assess the partner’s responsiveness. RAACS consists of 11 items including ratings of to what extent the partner is being attentive to, confirms, and expands the individual’s communication. During eight of the 14 sessions, aided AAC Modelling was also used, i.e., the communication partner pointed at symbols on the gaze-controlled device while interacting. In addition to RAACS, each time the communication partner confirmed or expanded on communication when (a) the participants used the gaze-controlled device and (b) the participants did not use the gaze-controlled device was counted. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results. Non-parametric tests were used to compare means between the two conditions and between participants.ResultsInter-rater agreement for the different RAACS items ranged from 0.73 to 0.96 and was thus found to be fair to excellent. The communication partner’s use of responsive strategies varied when communicating with different participants and the scores were higher when aided AAC modeling was used. The communication partner’s number of responses and use of responsive strategies were higher when the participants communicated through a gaze-controlled device.ConclusionThe communication partner’s use of responsive and scaffolding strategies is not a fixed construct but varies in interactions with different non-speaking persons. The same is true whether the non-speaking person uses a gaze-controlled device with digitized speech or not.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989319/fullresponsive strategiesinterventionaugmentative and alternative communication (AAC)gaze-controlled deviceresponsive augmentative and alternative communicative style scale (RAACS)Rett syndrome |
| spellingShingle | Helena Wandin Helena Wandin Per Lindberg Karin Sonnander A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report Frontiers in Psychology responsive strategies intervention augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) gaze-controlled device responsive augmentative and alternative communicative style scale (RAACS) Rett syndrome |
| title | A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report |
| title_full | A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report |
| title_fullStr | A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report |
| title_short | A trained communication partner’s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with Rett syndrome: A case report |
| title_sort | trained communication partner s use of responsive strategies in aided communication with three adults with rett syndrome a case report |
| topic | responsive strategies intervention augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) gaze-controlled device responsive augmentative and alternative communicative style scale (RAACS) Rett syndrome |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.989319/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT helenawandin atrainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT helenawandin atrainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT perlindberg atrainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT karinsonnander atrainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT helenawandin trainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT helenawandin trainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT perlindberg trainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport AT karinsonnander trainedcommunicationpartnersuseofresponsivestrategiesinaidedcommunicationwiththreeadultswithrettsyndromeacasereport |