Cognitive Skills in Aphasia: The Role of Language, Depression and Daily Habits

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 3, 215 - 250, 31.12.2025

Özlem Oğuz , Bülent Toğram

https://doi.org/10.58563/dkyad-2025.83.3

Öz

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the cognitive profiles of individuals with aphasia and the factors associated with these profiles. Specifically, the relationships between cognitive abilities and language, depression, age, gender, education level, time since stroke, type of aphasia, alcohol and tobacco use, physical and social activities, and reading habits were investigated.

Method:The study included 54 individuals with aphasia. Data were collected using the Oxford Cognitive Screen - Turkish version (OCS-TR), the Aphasia Language Assessment Test (ADD), and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS statistical software.

Results: A significant correlation was found between OCS-TR and ADD scores, as well as between OCS-TR memory subtests and HAM-D scores. While scores on some subtests decreased with increasing age, only the “Executive Task: Circle” subtest showed a significant gender difference in favor of males. Higher education levels were associated with higher scores on certain subtests. Individuals with fluent aphasia scored higher on the “Picture Naming” and “Sentence Reading” tasks. Alcohol consumption had a significant impact only on the “Missing Hearts” subtest. No significant effects were found for tobacco use, physical or social activities on cognitive scores. However, frequent book reading was associated with significantly better performance on the “Calculation” subtest.
Conclusion: Considering the close relationship between language and cognitive abilities, it is important that intervention processes are planned using a holistic approach that incorporates both cognitive and mental health components.

Anahtar Kelimeler

aphasia , cognitive skills , depression , smoking-alcohol consumption , physical-social activity , reading habits

Afazili Bireylerde Bilişsel Beceriler: Dil, Depresyon ve Yaşam Alışkanlıklarının Rolü

Öz

Amaç: Bu araştırmada afazili bireylerin bilişsel profillerini ve bu profille ilişkili faktörleri incelemek amaçlanmıştır. Bu doğrultuda afazili bireylerde bilişsel beceriler ile dil, depresyon, yaş, cinsiyet, eğitim düzeyi, inme sonrası geçen süre, afazi tipi, sigara-alkollü içki kullanımı, fiziksel-sosyal aktivite ve okuma alışkanlıkları arasındaki ilişkiler araştırılmıştır.

Yöntem: Çalışmada 54 afazili birey yer almıştır. Veriler “Oxford Bilişsel Tarama Testi (OCS-TR), “Afazi Dil Değerlendirme Testi (ADD)” ve “Hamilton Depresyon Testi (HAM-D)” ile toplanmıştır. Verilerin analizi SPSS paket programı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir.

Bulgular: OCS-TR ile ADD puanları ve OCS-TR bellek alt testleri ile HAM-D puanları arasında anlamlı korelasyon elde edilmiştir. Yaş arttıkça bazı alt test puanları azalırken, yalnızca Yürütücü Task: Daire alt testinde erkekler lehine fark bulunmuştur. Eğitim düzeyi arttıkça bazı alt test puanları artmıştır. Akıcı afazili bireyler Resim Adlandırma ve Cümle Okuma testlerinde daha yüksek puan almışlardır. Alkollü içki kullanımı yalnızca Eksik Kalpler alt testinde anlamlı bir fark yaratmıştır. Sigara, fiziksel ve sosyal aktivitelerin bilişsel puanlar üzerinde anlamlı etkisi bulunmamış, kitap okuma ise Hesaplama alt testinde sık okuma yapan bireyler lehine anlamlı bir farklılık yaratmıştır.

Sonuç: Müdahale süreçlerinde dil becerileri ile bilişsel beceriler arasındaki yakın ilişki göz önünde bulundurularak terapi süreçlerinin biliş ve zihinsel sağlığı kapsayan bütünsel bir yaklaşımla planlanmasının önemli olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

afazi , bilişsel beceriler , depresyon , sigara-alkollü içki kullanımı , fiziksel-sosyal aktivite , okuma alışkanlıkları

Kaynakça

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