Effects of response delay and token relocation on token test performance of aphasic subjects

• Published in: Journal of communication disorders 1978-01, Vol.11 (1), p.65-78
• Main Authors: Toppin, Cynthia J., Brookshire, R.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aphasia - psychology; Auditory Perception; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psychological Tests; Space Perception; Time Factors; Verbal Learning; Visual Perception
• ISSN: 0021-9924; 1873-7994
• DOI: 10.1016/0021-9924(78)90054-0

Performance of 12 aphasic subjects was analyzed on a delayed response task using commands similar to those found in the Token Test, under Standard, Relocation, and Nonvisual conditions. In Standard Condition, subjects could see the tokens as commands were presented and during delay intervals that were interposed between the end of the command and the subject's response. In Relocation Condition, subjects could see the tokens during command presentation and delay intervals, but the tokens were repositioned before the subject was allowed to respond. In Nonvisual Condition, no visual information was available to the subject until the delay interval was over. Results suggested that performance was not significantly affected by the presence of delay except in Part III of the test. The effects of delay appeared only in Part III, where most aphasic subjects began making errors. No appreciable differences in performance were found across conditions. These results suggest that aphasic subjects did not rely to any great extent on visual or visual-spatial strategies to perform successfully on the delayed response task. It appears that subjects may have been using some type of verbal strategy to mediate the delay interval, in spite of their impaired language systems.