Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Preliminary Image Preferences of Persons Living with Aphasia to Support Their...

Existing research has explored how images can support persons living with aphasia's (PWA) communication modalities and the information they may derive from specific images. However, there is a gap in understanding how PWA select and use various image types to support their communication.

This study aimed to (i) explore a sample of PWA's views on image types and preferences; and (ii) describe image selection and use considerations to support their communication.

A custom-designed, adapted 30-item verbal survey was completed individually with 12 participants with mild to moderate chronic aphasia using pictorial supports and aided conversation techniques over a videoconferencing platform. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed.

Participants preferred using coloured photographs (n = 11) and picture scenes (n = 10) obtained from personal photographs, the internet, and social media. Key considerations for image selection included clarity, transparency, and meaningfulness. Image preferences also varied based on message type (i.e., naming vs. action messages). Notably, participants were more confident using images (n = 10) than selecting them (n = 8).

This study provides preliminary insights into image selection and use among a small sample of persons with mild to moderate aphasia. The findings suggest that collaborative efforts with PWA to support their image selection process could optimise image use as communication support. However, further research with larger and more diverse samples of persons with varying aphasia severity is warranted to expand on these findings.