Nonlinguistic Cognitive Functions of Mandarin Speakers With Poststroke Aphasia.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive functions of Mandarin speakers with poststroke aphasia and to investigate the relationship between nonlinguistic cognitive deficits and the severity of aphasia. METHOD: Twenty-three adults with aphasia resulting from left-hemispheric stroke and 23 adults matched for age and educational level completed a series of six nonlinguistic cognitive tests measuring nonverbal intelligence, short-term memory, visual selective attention, visual alternating attention, auditory selective attention, and auditory alternating attention. A standardized aphasia assessment (Concise Chinese Aphasia Test [CCAT]) was also conducted to evaluate the severity of aphasia. Data analyses examined cognitive functions by comparing task performance of the two groups and examining the relationship between scores on the cognitive tasks and aphasia severity based on a hierarchical regression analysis. RESULTS: The aphasia group scored significantly lower than the control group on all nonlinguistic cognitive tasks with large effect sizes (d = 0.95 ~ 1.54). Significant associations between different nonlinguistic cognitive tasks and CCAT subtests were observed. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis showed that auditory alternating attention was the only factor that significantly predicted aphasia severity based on CCAT overall scores after age and education level were taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: The findings align with prior research observing deficits in nonlinguistic cognition in individuals with aphasia. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

Gaps in Framing and Naming: Commentary to "A Viewpoint on Accent Services".

PURPOSE: In this commentary, we offer a critique of "A Viewpoint on Accent Services: Framing and Terminology Matter" (Grover et al., 2022). We argue that the authors' proposal to rename and reframe accent modification lacks criticality, which actually hinders-rather than advances-the movement toward equitable, culturally sustaining, and emancipatory practices. METHOD: We offer an analysis of the shortfall between the authors' calls for linguistic justice in "A Viewpoint on Accent Services" and the actual changes they proposed. We break down major gaps in criticality, reflexivity, practice, and vision and discuss their potential for undercutting meaningful progress as it relates to linguistic justice. RESULTS: We found that the frameworks for the pursuit of equity, cultural sustenance, and emancipatory practices were misrepresented in the article in such a way that suggests that these goals could be achieved through superficial changes in terminology and attitudes. "A Viewpoint on Accent Services" upholds a power-neutral frame of operation that does not address the deeper systemic forces that make accent modification problematic. The lack of criticality toward accent intervention fosters complacency toward real transformation. CONCLUSION: We advocate for a serious and critical interrogation of accent practices and commitment to an emancipatory practice that addresses linguistic discrimination above all else. We emphasize the need to decenter standardized languages and to co-envision linguistic liberation using critical methods in scholarship, pedagogy, clinical practice, and policy.