Variability in aphasia research: aphasia subject selection in group studies.

Subject selection criteria and descriptive data were compiled from 15 consecutive aphasia group studies published in Brain and Language from its inception (1974-1976) and two decades later. While some measures remain constant (aphasia type and lesion site are most commonly used in both periods), additional measures are reported only or more frequently in the recent period (e.g., age, handedness, bilingualism, language spoken, multiple vs. single lesions). Of interest is the decrease in the total number of subjects included in aphasia group studies from the early to the current period.