Spouse Attitudes Toward the Person With Aphasia

Abstract

This investigation evaluated the attitudes of individuals towards their aphasic spouse. Using modified Q-methodology, 15 spouses of fluent aphasic patients, 15 spouses of nonfluent aphasic patients, and 30 matched controls completed a 70-item Q-sort. The spouses of nonfluent aphasic patients had a significantly greater number of negative attitudes toward their spouses than the spouses of fluent aphasic patients. The spouses of patients in both aphasia groups had a significantly greater number of negative attitudes toward their spouses than the matched controls. The most common attitudes of spouses of patients in both aphasic groups divided into six factors: compliance, desirability, egocentricity, independence, maturity, and sociability.