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Background: Training conversation partners of people with aphasia who use facilitative communication strategies is one method that can improve access to healthcare for people with aphasia. However, the efficacy of communication partner training (CPT) has been investigated almost exclusively in the context of face-to-face (F2F) delivery. Online training may offer more cost-effective and accessible options to a wider range of conversation partners, including student healthcare professionals. Aims: To conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial with student healthcare professionals comparing: (1) an online aphasia CPT program; (2) a F2F CPT program; and (3) no program (control group) on outcomes relating to attitudes and knowledge of aphasia. Methods & Procedures: A 45-min introductory aphasia CPT program was developed using the theories and techniques of Supported Conversations for Adults with Aphasia (SCA)™. A total of 30 first-year undergraduates studying occupational therapy at The University of Sydney were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: online CPT delivery, F2F delivery or delayed training control (no program). Outcomes measures included pre-post-testing with the Aphasia Attitudes, Strategies and Knowledge (AASK) survey. Outcomes & Results: A significant difference existed for the AASK survey pre-post-change scores between the online, F2F and control groups (X[superscript 2](2) = 20.038, p = 0.000). Post-hoc analysis revealed that, compared with the control (Ctrl) group, participants in both the online and F2F groups had significantly higher knowledge of aphasia (Online versus Ctrl: p = 0.000; F2F versus control: p = 0.002), knowledge of facilitative strategies (Online versus Ctrl: p = 0.000; F2F versus Ctrl: p = 0.002), and positive attitudes towards aphasia (Online versus Ctrl: p = 0.031; F2F versus Ctrl: p = 0.032). No significant difference was observed between the online and F2F groups for the Total or any subtotals (p = 1.000). Conclusions and Implications: The results from this pilot randomized controlled trial indicate that online delivery of the 45-min introductory CPT is equally as efficacious as F2F delivery, and thus may be a viable mode of delivery for future aphasia CPT programs. These pilot results pave the way for a larger study that will comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of an online aphasia CPT program for improving attitudes, knowledge and skills in a broad range of student healthcare professionals.

Few self-administered outcome measures are available for communication partner training (CPT) programs for aphasia. The Aphasia Attitudes, Strategies, and Knowledge (AASK) survey was developed to align with and evaluate three key ingredients of the Supported Conversation for adults with Aphasia (SCA™) communication partner training model. The AASK is a new, clinically feasible tool that provides the option of flexible administration contexts, particularly with university-based student health professionals. As the first step of psychometric evaluation, this paper addresses the aim of evaluating test-retest reliability of the AASK survey. Test–retest reliability of the survey was evaluated with responses from 52 allied health student health professionals (including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and rehabilitation counsellors) at The University of Sydney. Participants completed the survey at two time points, either in-person or digitally. The AASK survey contains three sections that correspond with the three key ingredients of SCA™: knowledge of aphasia, understanding of strategies to facilitate communication with people with aphasia, and attitudes towards communicating with people with aphasia. Each of these three sections and the 11 items were tested for reliability using Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance. The survey response rate was 89.66%. Ten of the eleven items of the AASK survey had a Kendall's W above 0.61, corresponding with strong to very strong test–retest reliability. Kendall's W was equal to or above 0.70 for all sections of the AASK survey, again within the range of strong to very strong test–retest reliability. The AASK survey was developed as a clinically feasible tool that evaluates CPT knowledge of aphasia and SCA™ communication strategies as well as confidence interacting with individuals with aphasia. In this study, the AASK survey was found to have strong stability, which is one of the important psychometric properties required for an evidence-based CPT outcome measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]