Pasquale Moretta1, Anna Lanzillo2, Maria Daniela Lo Sapio2, Simona Spaccavento3, Fara Cellamare3, Francesca Nisoli4, Alessandra Ianni4, Debora Pain5, Sarah Feroldi5, Chiara Angela Forlani6, Sara Boccola6, Francesca Madonia7, Paolo Volanti7, Antonia Pierobon8, Ilaria Scola8, Marina Manera9, Giorgio Bertolotti4, Luigi Trojano10. 1. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Telese Terme, Benevento, Italy. pasquale.moretta@icsmaugeri.it. 2. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Telese Terme, Benevento, Italy. 3. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Bari, Bari, Italy. 4. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Tradate, Milan, Italy. 5. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Milano, Milan, Italy. 6. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Castel Goffredo, Mantova, Italy. 7. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Mistretta, Messina, Italy. 8. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Montescano, Pavia, Italy. 9. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Institute of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. 10. Department of Psychology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Common assessment tools for aphasia evaluate single language impairments but not their functional impact on patient's communication skills in daily life. The lack of tools focused on ecological aspects might affect the choice of rehabilitative trainings. The Communicative Effectiveness Index (CETI) represents an attempt to assess the communicative abilities in "ecologic" context. This study aimed to explore psychometrics properties of the Italian translation and adaptation of CETI (I-CETI). METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with aphasia due to left hemispheric stroke admitted to post-acute rehabilitation units and their relatives were included in the study. Data were collected in three different sessions. At study entry, patients were assessed for language, depression, and functional abilities, while their caregivers and speech therapists independently completed the I-CETI to assess inter-rater agreement (baseline). One week later, caregivers and speech therapists completed again I-CETI, to assess test-retest reliability (T1). Last, at discharge, patients completed again the evaluation protocol, and caregivers and speech therapists completed I-CETI (T2). RESULTS: I-CETI showed high internal validity, excellent reliability, and good correlation between scores obtained by speech therapists and caregivers. Moreover, scores of I-CETI had quite good correlations with a traditional tool to assess language, and with measures of functional independence both at study entry and at discharge. DISCUSSION: I-CETI showed good psychometric proprieties. These results allowed considering I-CETI as a reliable tool to assess effects of speech treatments on the communicative abilities in patients with aphasia. Furthermore, I-CETI might help clinicians to develop treatments more tailored on the "ecologic" difficulties of patients.
INTRODUCTION: Common assessment tools for aphasia evaluate single language impairments but not their functional impact on patient's communication skills in daily life. The lack of tools focused on ecological aspects might affect the choice of rehabilitative trainings. The Communicative Effectiveness Index (CETI) represents an attempt to assess the communicative abilities in "ecologic" context. This study aimed to explore psychometrics properties of the Italian translation and adaptation of CETI (I-CETI). METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with aphasia due to left hemispheric stroke admitted to post-acute rehabilitation units and their relatives were included in the study. Data were collected in three different sessions. At study entry, patients were assessed for language, depression, and functional abilities, while their caregivers and speech therapists independently completed the I-CETI to assess inter-rater agreement (baseline). One week later, caregivers and speech therapists completed again I-CETI, to assess test-retest reliability (T1). Last, at discharge, patients completed again the evaluation protocol, and caregivers and speech therapists completed I-CETI (T2). RESULTS: I-CETI showed high internal validity, excellent reliability, and good correlation between scores obtained by speech therapists and caregivers. Moreover, scores of I-CETI had quite good correlations with a traditional tool to assess language, and with measures of functional independence both at study entry and at discharge. DISCUSSION: I-CETI showed good psychometric proprieties. These results allowed considering I-CETI as a reliable tool to assess effects of speech treatments on the communicative abilities in patients with aphasia. Furthermore, I-CETI might help clinicians to develop treatments more tailored on the "ecologic" difficulties of patients.