Topic Areas: Language Disorders in Adults

Topic Chairs: Katrina E. Miller and Rachel Powell

Content Area: Speech-Language Pathology

Proposals appropriate for submission to this topic area include those that focus on the description, assessment, comparison, treatment, and prevention of acquired neurogenic language disorders in adults. Topics may include:

  • Language-specific issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion or healthcare disparities and social determinants of health in adults
  • Language-specific issues related to the effects of normal aging processes, focal and diffuse brain damage due to stroke (left/right hemisphere, cortical/subcortical, focal/diffuse) in adults
  • Language changes due to degenerative diseases (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, primary progressive aphasia, progressive supranuclear palsy)
  • Language disorders associated with traumatic brain injuries (e.g., chronic traumatic encephalopathy, concussion, head injury, or blast injury)
  • Adult language intervention approaches, restorative and/or compensatory, including behavioral, client-/caregiver-focused, computer-based, cross-linguistic, environmental, interprofessional practice and/or education, pharmacological, and surgical

Research

  • Translational, applied, or implementation research related to acquired language disorders (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods)
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion research specifically related to healthcare disparities and social determinants of health related to acquired language disorders
  • Outcomes/efficacy research in acquired language disorders
  • Interprofessional practice and/or education research and implementation models

Professional Education

  • Abilities and impairments associated with acquired language disorders
  • Changes in language abilities associated with healthy aging and mild neurodegenerative disorder and dementia
  • Progressive neurological diseases, and neurological syndromes resulting in acquired language disorders
  • Comparisons of language behaviors in adults with acquired neurogenic disorders
  • Prevention of acquired neurogenic language disorders
  • Assessment of language and communication disorders associated with aphasia, primary progressive aphasia
  • Behavioral, social, environmental, neuromodulatory, pharmacological, surgical, and other interventions for acquired neurogenic language disorders
  • Innovative treatment strategies for acquired language disorders including group, participation, and family/caregiver-focused approaches
  • Innovative service delivery models for acquired language disorders, including delivery models through telecommunication technology
  • Teaming and interprofessional issues specific to acquired language disorders
  • Education and training issues specific to acquired language disorders, including supervision
  • Ethical considerations for service delivery for acquired language disorders
  • Palliative care issues including end of life decision making related to acquired language disorders
  • Technology as it relates to language disorders in adults
  • Administrative, legislative and regulatory issues related to language disorders in adults

Related Topics

Proposals including language disorders in adults but with a primary focus on:

  • Cognitive communication disorders should be submitted to the Acquired Cognitive Communication Disorders topic area.
  • Acquired language disorders in pediatrics associated with acquired traumatic brain injuries should be submitted to Language and Learning in School-Age Individuals or Language in Infants through Preschoolers.
  • Associated motor speech disorders should be submitted to the Motor Speech Disorders Across the Lifespan topic area.
  • Issues related to adult literacy should be submitted to the Literacy Assessment and Intervention topic area.
  • Issues related to health literacy should be submitted Health Literacy: Optimizing Outcomes topic area.
  • Proposals on the oral language and learning of adults with developmental disorders in public education programs who are still receiving services are appropriate for the Language and Learning in School-Age Individuals topic area.
  • Use of alternative or augmented devices should be submitted to the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) topic area.

About ASHA

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology assistants; and students.

About the Convention

The ASHA Convention is one of the largest professional development events for audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; and speech-language pathology and audiology assistants. Bringing together approximately 15,000 attendees, the annual Convention offers more than 2,500 sessions eligible for ASHA continuing education credit covering the latest research, clinical skills, and techniques in communication sciences and disorders.

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For inquiries about the ASHA Convention: convention@asha.org

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