Each year, clinicians and researchers gather for the Clinical Aphasiology Conference (CAC) to learn about the latest research on aphasia and other neurogenic acquired communication disorders such as traumatic brain injury, apraxia of speech, and right hemisphere disorders. This special issue highlights papers from the 48th annual CAC. The 13 articles in this special issue of the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology focus on topics in aphasia, apraxia of speech, and mild cognitive impairment.

Several articles in this issue address under-researched topics in aphasia—how people with aphasia initiate and shift topics of conversation, the role of inhibition and attention-switching in communication, and how people with aphasia process inner speech. Additional topics include (a) using the Western Aphasia Battery–Revised for classifying primary progressive aphasia and primary progressive apraxia of speech; (b) promoting and monitoring treatment fidelity; and (c) using recommended facilitator behaviors to help or hinder individuals in aphasia discussion groups. Others compared treatments for acquired apraxia of speech, showcased research on subjective communication difficulties, and addressed external memory aid treatments for mild cognitive impairment.

We’d like to thank Special Issue Editor Margaret Lehman Blake for putting together this important special issue for the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. You can explore the entire issue here or check out individual articles below. We hope you enjoy this special issue!

Explore the Issue

Cavanaugh, R. B., & Haley, K. L. (2020). Subjective communication difficulties in very mild aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 437–448. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0222

Clark, H. M., Utianski, R. L., Duffy, J. R., Strand, E. A., Botha, H., Josephs, K. A., & Whitwell, J. L. (2020). Western Aphasia Battery–Revised profiles in primary progressive aphasia and primary progressive apraxia of speech. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 498–510. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0217

Conlon, E. L., Braun, E. J., Babbitt, E., & Cherney, L. R. (2020). Treatment fidelity procedures for an aphasia intervention within a randomized controlled trial: Design, feasibility, and results. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 412–424. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0227

DeDe, G., & Salis, C. (2020). Temporal and episodic analyses of the story of Cinderella in latent aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 449–462. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0210

Duncan, E. S., Donovan, N. J., & Sajjadi, S. A. (2020). Clinical assessment of characteristics of apraxia of speech in primary progressive aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 485–497. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0225

Fama, M. E., & Turkeltaub, P. (2020). Inner speech in aphasia: Current evidence, clinical implications, and future directions. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 560–573. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0212

Hickin, J., Dipper, L., & Cruice, M. (2020). A systematically conducted scoping review of the evidence and fidelity of treatments for verb deficits in aphasia: Verb-in-isolation treatments. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 530–559. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0234

Lanzi, A., & Bourgeois, M. S. (2020). Structured external memory aid treatment for mild cognitive impairment. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 474–484. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0209

Leaman, M. C., & Edmonds, L. A. (2020). “By the way” . . . how persons with aphasia and their communication partners initiate new topics of conversation. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 375–392. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0198

Lee, J. B., & Azios, J. H. (2020). Facilitator behaviors leading to engagement and disengagement in aphasia conversation groups. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 393-411. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0220

Mauszycki, S. C., & Wambaugh, J. L. (2020). Acquired apraxia of speech: Comparison of electropalatography treatment and sound production treatment. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 511–529. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0227

Obermeyer, J., Schlesinger, J., & Martin, N. (2020). Evaluating the contribution of executive functions to language tasks in cognitively demanding contexts. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 463–473. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0216

Sachs, A., Rising, K., & Beeson, P. M. (2020). A retrospective study of long-term improvement on the Boston Naming Test. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1S), 425–436. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-CAC48-18-0224