Modification & Validation of a Measure of Chronic Stress for People with Aphasia

 产品说明： 失语症是一种语言障碍，可能是中风后大脑受损所致。它 损害一个人的读、写、说和理解的能力。失语症通常通过基于语言的治疗来治疗。虽然有效，但这些治疗的结果存在很大的差异。其他因素，如长期压力，可能会影响治疗的成功。研究表明，慢性压力可能会改变大脑的工作方式;具体来说，它可能会改变大脑的记忆和学习能力。失语症的治疗，像其他类型的康复，需要学习和记忆。如果退伍军人和其他患有失语症的人长期受到压力，他们可能无法通过治疗得到改善。在拟议的研究中，候选人将开发一种测量失语症患者慢性压力的方法。这将通过修改一份关于慢性压力的问卷来完成，称为感知压力量表（PSS; Cohen &威廉姆森，1988），因此失语症患者或其他沟通困难的人可以理解和使用它。该问卷将系统地修改与失语症研究人员和临床医生，结果测量专家，失语症患者，他们的照顾者的投入。然后，修改后的PSS将与75名失语症患者进行验证。这些研究参与者还将提供一小部分头发样本，用于测量一种叫做皮质醇的压力激素，并提供有关参与者在过去几个月内经历的压力水平的生物信息。从修改后的PSS的反应，在头发样本中的皮质醇的量，并从几个选择问卷的压力，心理弹性，抑郁和焦虑的反应将进行分析，以评估修改后的PSS的有效性，并了解如何压力和其他自我报告的心理因素可能与这个人群。一旦这项研究完成，修改后的PSS将用于未来的研究，以a）确定慢性压力是否是失语症和其他认知语言障碍康复的障碍，并）开发慢性压力的治疗方法，以确保退伍军人和其他失语症患者以及其他类型的脑损伤的治疗更成功。 许多退伍军人和其他后天性脑损伤的人长期处于压力之下。慢性应激 可能会限制一个人的神经学习能力，这是有效的言语，语言和其他认知治疗的要求。患有脑损伤的退伍军人可能无法从康复中受益，浪费了患者，家庭，医疗保健提供者和相关组织（如VA）的时间，精力和财政资源。这项拟议的研究将制定一项慢性压力的衡量标准，以了解这一因素及其对康复成功的影响。这项研究计划的最终目标是找到最大限度地减少慢性压力和最大限度地提高退伍军人治疗效果的方法。

 DESCRIPTION: Aphasia is a language impairment that can result from damage to the brain after stroke. It impairs a person's ability to read, write, speak, and understand. Aphasia is usually treated through language‑based treatments. While effective, there is substantial variability in the outcomes of these treatments. Other factors, such as long‑term stress, may influence the success of treatment. Research has shown that chronic stress may change how the brain works; specifically, it may change how well the brain can remember and learn. Aphasia treatments, like other types of rehabilitation, require learning and memory. If veterans and others with aphasia are chronically stressed, they may not be able to improve with treatment. In the proposed study, the candidate will develop a measurement of chronic stress for people with aphasia. This will be accomplished by modifying a questionnaire about chronic stress, called the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen & Williamson, 1988), so it may be understood and used by people with aphasia, or people with other communication difficulties. The questionnaire will be systematically modified with the input of aphasia researchers and clinicians, outcomes measurement experts, people with aphasia, and their caregivers. Then, the modified PSS will be validated with 75 people with aphasia. These research participants will also provide a small sample of scalp hair, used to measure a stress hormone called cortisol, and provide biological information about the level of stress the participant has experienced over the last several months. Responses from the modified PSS, the amount of cortisol in the hair sample, and responses from a few select questionnaires about stress, psychological resilience, depression, and anxiety will be analyzed to assess the validity of the modified PSS, and understand how stress and other self-reported psychological factors may be related for this population. Once this study is complete, the modified PSS will be used in future research to a) determine if chronic stress is a barrier to rehabilitation of aphasia and other cognitive‑linguistic impairments, and ) develop treatments for chronic stress to ensure greater treatment success for veterans and others with aphasia, and other types of brain injuries. Many veterans and others with acquired brain injuries are chronically stressed. Chronic stress may limit a person's neurological capacity to learn, a requirement for effective speech, language and other cognitive treatments. Veterans with brain injuries who are chronically stressed may not be able to benefit from rehabilitation, wasting the time, efforts, and financial resources of patients, families, healthcare providers and related organizations, like the VA. The proposed study will develop a measure of chronic stress to understand this factor and its impact on rehabilitation success. The ultimate goal of this research program is to find ways to minimize chronic stress and maximize treatment outcomes for veterans.