A basic aphasia examination: description with discussion of first results

A new basic aphasia test (Grunntest for Afasi) constructed for use with a Norwegian patient population is briefly described. This test follows the principles established by Goodglass and Kaplan in the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination. Results with the first 43 patients examined are presented. Three alternative methods for utilizing the basic results in classifying types of aphasic disorder are considered. The classical method, as formalized by Goodglass and Kaplan, which emphasizes an evaluation of patients' speech characteristics was found to employ dimensions with the lowest intercorrelations. While this method provided the better dimensions, the description of disorder in terms of classical syndromes defined by impairment along these dimensions could not classify a majority of the patients. However, the dimensions on which such classification is based (Fluency, Comprehension, Naming, Repetition) form a useable descriptive system.