The Reliability of Telepractice Administration of the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised in Persons With Primary Progressive Aphasia

Abstract

Purpose: The use of telepractice in the field of communication disorders offers an opportunity to provide care for those with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The Western Aphasia Battery–Revised (WAB-R) is used for differential diagnosis, to assess severity of aphasia, and to identify a language profile of strengths and challenges. Telehealth administration of the WAB-R is supported for those with chronic aphasia due to stroke but has not yet been systematically explored in neurodegenerative dementia syndromes. To fill this gap, in-person and telehealth performance on the WAB-R from participants with mild to moderate PPA was compared. Method: Nineteen participants with mild to moderate PPA were administered the WAB-R in person and over videoconferencing. Videoconferencing administration included modifications to the testing protocol to ensure smooth completion of the assessment. Subtest and Aphasia Quotient (WAB-AQ) summary scores were compared using concordance coefficients to measure the relationship between the administration modes. Results: In-person and telehealth scores showed strong concordance for the WAB-AQ, Auditory Verbal Comprehension subtest, and Naming & Word Finding subtest. The Spontaneous Speech test summary score had slightly lower concordance, indicating the need for caution when comparing these scores across administration modes. Conclusion: These findings support extending the use of telehealth administration of the WAB-R via videoconferencing to those with mild to moderate PPA given appropriate modifications to testing protocol.