Utilization of Western Aphasia Battery–Revised Spoken Language Subtest Stimuli to Characterize Differentially Diagnostic Characteristics of Acquired Apraxia of Speech

Abstract

Purpose: There is a need for stimuli that can be used in the assessment of apraxia of speech (AOS) characteristics. AOS often presents with aphasia, and the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised (WAB-R) is administered extensively in clinical practice for the assessment of aphasia. This preliminary study investigated error production of differentially diagnostic characteristics of AOS (phonetic and prosodic errors) in response to existing spoken language subtest stimuli of the WAB-R in individuals with concomitant AOS and aphasia and aphasia only. Method: Ten participants presenting with aphasia and potential motor speech impairment were included. Presence of AOS was determined for five individuals. Speech production errors were analyzed using narrow transcription methods in response to the Naming, Repetition, and Spontaneous Speech subtests of the WAB-R for both AOS and aphasia and aphasia-only groups. Results: Differences in total error production for both phonetic and prosodic errors were reported between the AOS and aphasia and aphasia-only groups. In addition, the phonetic complexity of the stimuli correlated to the phonetic and prosodic error production in both groups. An effect of WAB-R subtest was not reported for either group. Conclusion: The diversity of elicited spoken language production across multiple contexts makes the use of the spoken language subtest stimuli a feasible component of a comprehensive AOS assessment, since AOS is often concomitant with aphasia.