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Dr Debora Antoniotti de Vasconcelos e Sa
Cognition, Clinical and Wellbeing
Estimates suggest that ~40% of patients suffering a stroke develop aphasia, an impairment of language function caused by brain damage. Aphasia has a drastic impact on social interaction, quality of life and wellbeing of both patients and their carers. Thus, it is unsurprising that aphasia is rated by patients and carers alike as one of the most devastating outcomes of stroke.
Treatment and recovery following stroke frequently involves considerable and sudden life-long adjustments on the part of family carers. However, they usually do so without formal training and routine access to support or information. Furthermore, research shows that, when compared to the general population, family carers of people with stroke tend to report higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress, and lower levels of life satisfaction, quality of life and well-being, which in turn can affect the quality of care they provide.
For people with aphasia, the inability to produce words quickly and accurately is the most pervasive symptom. Therefore, communication difficulties due to aphasia can be particularly challenging for family carers, drastically influencing the interpersonal relationship balance, thus increasing emotional distress and changes in the perception.
To date, little attention has been given to exploring the role of illness-related and demographic characteristics on the experiences of carers of people with aphasia. In this project, you will quantify patients’ speech abilities and impairments. You will also study the carer’s perception of the patient’s impairment, and their psychological wellbeing. You will then combine these two branches of research, hypothesising that while aphasia severity affects the carer’s illness perception and own wellbeing, this relation is mediated by the patient’s awareness of their own impairments.
This project is self-funded.
Details of studentships for which funding is available are selected by a competitive process and are advertised on our jobs website as they become available.
If you wish to be considered for this project, you will need to apply for our Psychology PhD. In the section of the application form entitled 'Outline research proposal', please quote the above title and include a research proposal.
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