School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Centre for Language and Communication Science Research, City, University of London, London, UK.
Disabil Rehabil. 2022 Dec;44(26):8264-8282. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2021.2011436. Epub 2021 Dec 28.
This study explored the acceptability to service providers of delivering a novel group support intervention for people with aphasia (PWA) in a virtual world.
The service providers were six group coordinators and 10 volunteers. Fourteen of the service providers participated in a semi-structured qualitative interview and 15 took part in a consensus group discussion. Qualitative interviews were analysed using framework analysis. For consensus group discussions, nominal group rankings were analysed and semantically similar responses were identified.
Service providers described the virtual world as a safe space in which to communicate, connect, and experiment. The key barriers were technical, particularly relating to sound and connectivity issues. Service providers suggested a range of improvements to the virtual world and intervention programme. They reported that PWA benefitted from accessing a support group in a virtual world, with opportunities to connect socially and to develop their communication skills.
Service providers found delivery of group support intervention in a virtual world to be acceptable. The use of a bespoke virtual world to deliver group support intervention may enhance the experience and increase its accessibility, enabling more PWA to benefit from this type of intervention.Implications for rehabilitationPeople with aphasia benefit from group support intervention but may find it difficult to access face-to-face groups.Delivery of group support intervention in a virtual world is acceptable to service providers, can enhance the experience and increase accessibility of groups.Technical challenges present potential barriers when delivering group support in a virtual world, relating particularly to sound and connectivity.Potential benefits of this model of delivery, as perceived by service providers, include opportunities to connect socially and to develop communication skills plus specific and strong levels of enjoyment of the virtual context.
本研究探讨了服务提供者对在虚拟世界中为失语症患者（PWA）提供新型小组支持干预措施的可接受性。
服务提供者为 6 名小组协调员和 10 名志愿者。其中 14 名服务提供者参加了半结构化定性访谈，15 名参加了共识小组讨论。定性访谈采用框架分析法进行分析。对于共识小组讨论，采用名义群体排名分析，并确定语义相似的回复。
服务提供者将虚拟世界描述为一个安全的交流、联系和实验的空间。主要障碍是技术方面的，特别是与声音和连接问题有关。服务提供者对虚拟世界和干预计划提出了一系列改进建议。他们报告说，PWA 从虚拟世界中的支持小组中受益，有机会进行社交联系并发展沟通技巧。
服务提供者认为在虚拟世界中提供小组支持干预是可以接受的。使用定制的虚拟世界来提供小组支持干预可能会增强体验并增加其可及性，使更多的 PWA 受益于这种类型的干预。
失语症患者受益于小组支持干预，但可能难以参加面对面的小组。服务提供者可以接受在虚拟世界中提供小组支持干预，这种方式可以增强小组的体验并增加其可及性。在虚拟世界中提供小组支持存在技术挑战，主要涉及声音和连接问题。服务提供者认为这种交付模式的潜在好处包括社交联系和发展沟通技巧的机会，以及对虚拟环境的特定和强烈的享受程度。
