Cognitive problems and communication - “Talking without Communicating”

Other cognitive deficits can affect a person's ability to communicate, without directly affecting their language areas, or ability to produce speech.

View the video of James and then brainstorm what his difficulties with communication are.

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James' difficulties with communication are the result of impairments to his memory, a cognitive process, rather than impairments to his specific language areas.

The following list outlines some cognitive impairments and some consequences they can have for communication:

A. Memory problems

• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty learning new information

Can lead to a person forgetting what they have already told someone, and so repeating themselves. Can also make learning new words more difficult.

B. Information processing problems

• Slowness in thinking and responding
• Reduced attention span
• Easily distracted, can’t stay on task
• Poor concentration, can’t keep track of more than one thing at a time

Can mean that a person has difficulty keeping on one topic, and may go off on "tangents" when communicating.

C. Planning problems

• Failure to develop plans of action
• Disorganisation, ineffective approach to task
• Failure to learn from mistakes

May result in a person have difficulty planning what they want to communicate into a logical order eg if giving a set of instructions or telling a story

D. Inflexible thought process

• Gets stuck on one idea and can’t be shifted
• Can only see one point of view
• Difficulty adopting new ideas
• Difficulty grasping complex ideas
• Takes a long time to adapt to new situations

Person may have difficulty adapting the communication style to suit the situation.

E. Initiation

• Lethargic and inert
• Difficulty starting tasks
• Difficulty sustaining appropriate activity (needs prompting to continue)

May need repetitive prompting to continue communication

F. Control problems

• Difficulty controlling impulses (overly familiar, sexually inappropriate, tactless)
• Low frustration tolerance

May communicate in inappropriate ways, and not observe social conventions when communicating