A comparison of three methods to evaluate change in the spontaneous language of aphasic individuals

Three methods for evaluating change in the spontaneous language of aphasic subjects were compared. Clinical judgments (CJ) of experienced speech-language pathologists showed excellent agreement and served as a comparison with the Shewan Spontaneous Language Analysis (SSLA) and the WAB Spontaneous Speech subtest. Although reliable and easy to use, however, the CJ method does not provide comprehensive information needed for treatment planning. The SSLA, although more time-consuming, provided comprehensive information and agreed highly with CJ for detecting change. The WAB method, although almost as economical timewise as the CJ method, did not agree as highly with CJ and did not provide adequate information for treatment planning.