Associations among depression, demographic variables, and language impairments in chronic post-stroke aphasia

R Hunting Pompon; W Fassbinder; M R McNeil; H Yoo; H S Kim; R M Zimmerman; N Martin; J P Patterson; S R Pratt; M W Dickey

doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106266

Associations among depression, demographic variables, and language impairments in chronic post-stroke aphasia

J Commun Disord. 2022 Nov-Dec:100:106266. doi: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106266. Epub 2022 Sep 20.

Authors

R Hunting Pompon¹, W Fassbinder², M R McNeil³, H Yoo⁴, H S Kim⁵, R M Zimmerman⁶, N Martin⁷, J P Patterson⁸, S R Pratt³, M W Dickey³

Affiliations

¹ University of Delaware, Newark, DE. Electronic address: rhp@udel.edu.
² VA Pittsburgh Health Care System, Pittsburgh, PA.
³ VA Pittsburgh Health Care System, Pittsburgh, PA; University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
⁴ Baylor University, Waco, TX.
⁵ Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN.
⁶ West Chester University, West Chester, PA.
⁷ Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.
⁸ VA Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, CA.

PMID: 36150239
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106266

Abstract

Introduction: Depression may influence treatment participation and outcomes of people with post-stroke aphasia, yet its prevalence and associated characteristics in aphasia are poorly understood. Using retrospective data from an overarching experimental study, we examined depressive symptoms and their relationship to demographic and language characteristics in people with chronic aphasia. As a secondary objective, we compared prevalence of depressive symptoms among the overarching study's included and excluded participants.

Methods: We examined retrospective data from 121 individuals with chronic aphasia including depression scale scores, demographic information (sex, age, time post onset of stroke, education, race/ethnicity, and Veteran status), and scores on assessments of general and modality-specific language impairments.

Results: Approximately 50% of participants reported symptoms indicative of depressive disorders: 23% indicative of major depression and 27% indicative of mild depression. Sex (males) and comparatively younger age emerged as statistically significant variables associated with depressive symptoms; naming ability was minimally associated with depressive symptoms. Time post onset of stroke, education level, race/ethnicity, Veteran status, and aphasia severity were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Depression-scale scores were significantly higher for individuals excluded from the overarching study compared to those who were included.

Conclusions: The rate of depressive disorders in this sample was higher than rates of depression reported in the general stroke literature. Participant sex, age, and naming ability emerged as factors associated with depressive symptoms, though these links appear complex, especially given variable reports from prior research. Importantly, depressive symptoms do not appear to diminish over time for individuals with chronic aphasia. Given these results and the relatively limited documentation of depression in aphasia literature, depression remains a pressing concern for aphasia research and routine clinical care.

Keywords: Aphasia; Depression; Stroke.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Aphasia* / etiology
Depression / etiology
Humans
Language Development Disorders*
Male
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Stroke* / complications