Between Languages: Clinical Realities and Needs in Multilingual Aphasia Therapy

Area of Science:

• Speech and Language Therapy
• Neurolinguistics
• Sociolinguistics

Background:

• Increasing multilingual populations and post-stroke aphasia necessitate research on multilingual people with aphasia (MPwA).
• Understanding the experiences and needs of speech and language therapists (SLTs) is crucial for effective clinical practice and research in MPwA evaluation and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the clinical realities, challenges, and educational needs of SLTs working with MPwA in Türkiye.
• To identify systemic barriers and propose improvements for multilingual aphasia therapy.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative phenomenological design was used with 12 SLTs experienced in working with MPwA.
• Data were collected through semistructured interviews via Zoom and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Four themes emerged: language preference in therapy, family involvement dynamics, systemic challenges (e.g., lack of materials, training gaps), and suggested improvements.
• Key challenges include insufficient culturally and linguistically appropriate resources and limited multilingual training.

Conclusions:

• SLT services for MPwA are hindered by resource and training deficits, impacting intervention equity and effectiveness.
• Urgent needs include context-sensitive material development, enhanced professional networks, specialized training, and systematic employment of multilingual SLTs.