Recent advances in medical technology and improvements in emergency healthcare systems have increased the survival rate of individuals with brain injuries, leading to greater attention to functional recovery and social reintegration. Individuals with ...
Recent advances in medical technology and improvements in emergency healthcare systems have increased the survival rate of individuals with brain injuries, leading to greater attention to functional recovery and social reintegration. Individuals with right hemisphere damage (RHD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) often demonstrate relatively preserved linguistic form; however, they frequently experience difficulties in contextual comprehension, inferencing, discourse organization, and social communication in everyday communicative situations. Despite the clinical importance of these deficits, standardized assessment tools and clinical resources for cognitive-communication disorders (CCD) remain limited in Korea, resulting in challenges in assessment and intervention practices.
The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical perceptions and needs regarding the assessment of cognitive-communication disorders in individuals with right hemisphere damage and traumatic brain injury. Specifically, the study examined differences in speech-language pathologists’ understanding of CCD and assessment experiences according to their demographic and professional characteristics and explored their educational needs related to CCD assessment. A total of 260 speech-language pathologists currently working in clinical settings participated in an online survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS 28.0 through frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis.
The results revealed significant differences in the understanding of cognitive-communication disorders according to age and professional certification level. Speech-language pathologists in their twenties and those holding second-level certification demonstrated relatively lower levels of understanding. Only 40.4% of the participants reported having experience in assessing cognitive-communication disorders, and assessment experience differed significantly according to age, certification level, and years of clinical experience. Although participants highly recognized the importance of CCD assessment, 96.5% reported experiencing difficulties during the assessment process. Major challenges included the lack of assessment tools, insufficient knowledge and clinical skills, and difficulties associated with patients’ fatigue and reduced attention. In addition, the demand for CCD-related education was very high, and participants expressed substantial needs for research materials, assessment tools, and online educational resources. A significant positive correlation was also found between educational experience and conceptual understanding of cognitive-communication disorders.
The findings indicate that speech-language pathologists recognize the importance of cognitive-communication disorder assessment; however, actual assessment experience remains limited. Furthermore, shortages of assessment tools, educational opportunities, and clinical resources were identified as major barriers to effective assessment. Educational experience was positively associated with conceptual understanding of CCD. These findings suggest that, in addition to the development of assessment tools, expanding professional education and strengthening clinical support systems are necessary to facilitate the implementation of CCD assessment in clinical settings. Future efforts should focus on the development and dissemination of standardized assessment tools appropriate for the Korean context, the provision of systematic educational programs, the distribution of clinical guidelines and research resources, and the expansion of online educational content.