Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: June | Volume: 9 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 293-300
Language Preferences and Attrition in Bilingual Persons with Dementia
Dr. Deepa M.S.1, Shyamala K. Chengappa2
1Professor& Principal Naseema Institute of Speech and Hearing Koramangala, Bangalore, Bangalore University
2Former Professor of Language Pathology Dept. of Speech-Language Pathology All India Institute of Speech and Hearing University of Mysore, Mysore
Corresponding Author: Dr. Deepa M.S.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Dementia is one of the neurodegenerative disorders which generally affect elderly causing progressive deteriorations of all the acquired skills such as language, cognition, personality etc. This disease can show differential impairment in bilingual individuals as compared to monolinguals since the accessibility and use of verbal communication varies in them. The difficulty varies with respect to use of number of languages and the proficiency in these languages. There is a need to study the effect of each language in the linguistic competence in such individuals.
Aim of the study: Present study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of use of two languages by bilingual (Kannada/English) elderly people with dementia using Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT).
Method: The study consisted of 20 participants, 10 persons with mild dementia (PWD) and 10 healthy elderly (HE). Included for the study were two test protocols for assessing cognitive linguistic skills in elderly population. Assessment of the effectiveness in linguistic levels and skills in two languages (Kannada and English) was performed using Part C (Bilingual portion) of Bilingual Aphasia Test (BAT by Paradis & Rangamani, 1989).
Results & Discussion: Paired sample t test was administered for HE to check the effect of language on all the tasks in BAT. Independent sample t test was administered between the groups to compare the linguistic measures including WR (Word Recognition), WT (Word Translation), ST (Sentence Translation), GJ (Grammaticality Judgment), and GJC (Grammaticality Judgment Correction). There was significant group effect in the performances. Few parameters clearly differentiated the group and few did not.
Conclusion: To conclude, in bilingual persons with dementia, regression to a primary language may be associated with development of cognitive impairment. Participants with dementia failed to differentiate that they were using two distinct languages at several conditions strongly indicating the retreating of bilingual competence into monlingualism.
Key words: Bilingualism, Dementia, Language abilities.