Modification and standardisation of Arabic version of the Comprehensive Aphasia Test

Background: The Comprehensive Aphasia Test (CAT) is a new standardised test designed to assess a wide range of language functions in participants with acquired aphasia. In its present state, the CAT is not suitable to be used with Arabic-speaking participants due to language, cultural and regional differences. Aims: The aim of this article is to present a modified and standardised version of the CAT in order to provide a thorough assessment of aphasia among Arabic-speaking aphasic participants and to target intervention towards the disability associated with it. Methods and Procedures: The CAT was translated into Arabic and some subtests were modified to be socio-culturally suitable to the Egyptian population. The modified CAT was tested on a sample of 100 adult participants with aphasia due to stroke or post-traumatic damage attending the out-patients clinic of the Phoniatric Unit of Ain Shams University Hospitals and the Hearing and Speech Institute. A control group of 50 normal, adult, healthy volunteers was also tested. Outcomes and Results: Test–retest reliability checks as well as diverse validity checks were undertaken and their findings showed that the modified CAT is psychometrically well constructed and reveals a high degree of reliability and validity. Conclusions: The modified CAT provides an overview of the linguistic abilities and impairments of an aphasic person through a quick but comprehensive and standardised profile of language performance. Analyses showed the usefulness of the modified CAT battery as a reliable and valid tool for diagnosing aphasia and for targeting therapy towards specific goals.