Analysis of topic as illustrated in a head-injured and a normal adult.

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable multidimensional topic analysis that would be sensitive to patterns and problems in topic management. Six conversation and four monologue language samples of a closed-head-injured adult and a matched normal adult were compared. High interjudge reliability was found for all frequently occurring parameters of the analysis. Differences between the two subjects were obtained on a number of the topic introduction and maintenance parameters. The results illustrate the potential of the analysis to reliably identify, quantify, and describe differences between subjects in discourse topic management. The potential of the analysis to provide detailed profiles of topic management and describe the influence of such variables as genre and topic complexity on discourse topic was demonstrated.