The experience of close personal relationships from the perspective of people with aphasia: thematic analysis of the literature

Background: Although changes within interpersonal relationships have a substantial impact on quality of life, few authors have focused on how these changes are experienced by people with aphasia.Aims: The aim of this study was to systematically identify contemporary research focussing on the perspectives of people with aphasia about close personal relationships and to conduct a thematic analysis of the findings across these studies.Methods & Procedures: Using scoping review methodology, four databases (CINAHL/EBSCO, MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Psychinfo) were systematically searched yielding 376 articles published from January 2000 to February 2017. Following title, abstract and full-text review 21 studies remained. Data derived from these studies were charted, collated and thematically analysed.Outcomes & Results: Most studies utilised interview methods and cross-sectional designs. Only seven directly examined the relationship experiences of people with aphasia. The remaining studies indirectly derived relationship focused responses through exploration of related constructs (living successfully, social participation, living with aphasia, participation and activities, social communication, quality of life). Thematic analysis revealed four principal themes across the published findings. The first, living with change, described experiential factors within relationships after the onset of aphasia. The second theme, mediating factors within the interaction, highlighted contextual factors which influenced the experience of interactions. The third theme, connectedness, described feelings of connection or disconnection with others. The final theme described positive relationship outcomes for people with aphasia.Conclusions: From the perspective of people with aphasia, relationships are not only central to positive aspects of everyday living but also challenging to maintain. Further research is needed to understand how relationships change over time and how to best support clients with aphasia to develop and maintain satisfying relationships.