Communication therapy for the young adult

Speech clinicians are often frustrated in their assessment and therapeutic management of a young adult with speech and language problems. Procedures for children with language disorders and aphasic adults are often inadequate for the adult who has communication impairments that cannot be attributed to aphasia. This case study presents an account of a 29-year-old woman who had cognitive, linguistic, and pragmatic difficulties. Both diagnosis and therapy were based on recent innovations in the areas of cognition, linguistics, and interpersonal relations. Results indicated that therapy was successful when the client was responsible for therapy activities, when therapy combined tutorial as well as experiential sessions, and when each session focused on the development of cognitive, linguistic, and interpersonal domains. Specific examples of diagnostic and therapeutic activities are presented as well as the rationale underlying the approach to therapy.