Family Therapy as an Intervention for Adults With Aphasia and Other Communication Disabilities After Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Acquired brain injury (ABI) affects the whole family unit, significantly shifting family roles and relationships, with communication disabilities associated with ABI further compounding these difficulties. Family therapy is offered in situations where family roles have been disrupted, but research on the application of family therapy to families affected by ABI has not been synthesized. This study systematically maps the research on the use of family therapy in people with ABI, identifying to what extent people with communication disabilities (PWCD) are included in the evidence base. A scoping review of primary research was conducted through a systematic search of five multidisciplinary academic databases. A consultation process, involving a person with aphasia, ran alongside the entire research process. Twenty-four studies were included in the final review with four categories of interventions identified. Twelve studies excluded PWCD, 10 potentially doing so due to the communication demands of the study. Twelve studies included PWCD, five of which included speech and language therapists to support the delivery of family therapy. A small evidence base exists for the use of family therapy within an ABI population. However, PWCD are frequently excluded from this research due to the communication demands of the study designs. More research is needed to guide appropriate intervention for PWCD.