A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of - Queen Margaret University

expected that younger participants in the main investigation would learn more
new vocabulary than older participants.
Education
The evidence in the literature is also equivocal for the influence of education on
the recovery of aphasia (see section 2.6.1.2). However, interestingly, Robertson
(1999) states that the skills acquired while in education develop the ability to
learn i.e. a person learns how to learn, developing skills such as planning,
memorising and problem solving. Previous research studies do not state the
required number of years in education to promote these skills therefore it could
only generally predict that participants with more years in education would learn
more than those with less educational experience. The skills required for the
employment of each participant will also be commented on in consideration of
their ability to learn new vocabulary.
Emotional status
The effect of emotional status of individuals is less ambiguous, suggesting that
both anxiety and depression influence the motivation of participants as well as
their cognitive and linguistic performance (see section 2.6.3.2), predicting that
those participants who experience emotional difficulties would experience a
negative influence on the learning of new vocabulary.
Stage of recovery from stroke
As previously discussed (see section 2.2.1), the path of recovery from aphasia is
considered to encompass acute stages of recovery where some function is
restored due to the restoration of blood flow to neural tissue and the reduction of
swelling. The brain then begins to reorganise and reconnect areas of the brain
through new neural pathways. Some literature suggests that the chronic stages
of recovery involve the acquisition of compensatory techniques rather than
restoration of communicative function (see section 2.2.1). However, a small
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