Efficacy of using people with aphasia to train health professionals in effective communication strategies over the internet

Aphasia can be a pervasive language difficulty after stroke. Previous research has found that health professionals do not feel confident interacting with people with aphasia. This lack of confidence can impact negatively on patient - health professional relationships. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that communication partner training can improve the confidence and knowledge of communication strategies of health professionals when interacting with people with aphasia. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of face-to-face versus telehealth delivery of a communication partner training program for increasing the confidence and knowledge of effective communication strategies among health professionals. A prospective, 2-arm randomised control trial with 1:1 allocation (face-to-face or telepractice CPT conditions) was conducted with 55 health professionals. Participants received a lecture about aphasia and communication strategies followed by the opportunity to practice the strategies with a person with aphasia. The face-to-face group received the lecture and conversation in face-to-face mode, while the Telehealth group received both elements over the internet. The results revealed that neither approach was superior. A limitation of this study was that no follow up was actioned to identify whether the improved confidence and use of effective skills for communication were ongoing. Further research is required.