Lightning Oral Presentation Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Conference 2026

Co-design of a novel, interdisciplinary intervention to support text-messaging for people with post-stroke aphasia. (139072)

Jade Dignam 1 2 , Kori Ramajoo 1 2 , Karen Hannah 3 , Elizabeth Beadle 2 , Emmah Doig 2 , Jessica Halpin 4 , Emma Power 5 , Sarah J Wallace 1 2 , Peter Worthy 6 , David Copland 1 2
  1. Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  2. Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) Education and Research Alliance, The University of Queensland and Metro North Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  3. Lived experience advisor, Brisbane, Australia
  4. Speech Pathology Department, Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service, Metro North Health, Herston, Queensland, Australia
  5. Graduate School of Health Disciplines, Speech Pathology, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia

Background/Aims:

Text messaging is an important communication technology to facilitate social connection and manage daily activities. People with aphasia experience barriers to text-messaging due to deficits post-stroke [1]. This study used codesign to develop an interdisciplinary intervention package to facilitate effective communication via text-messaging for people with aphasia.

Methods:

This was the prioritisation and co-design phase of a modified Experience-Based Co-Design study [2].

Thirteen co-design workshops were conducted in hybrid format from July to November 2025, facilitated by two experienced speech pathologists. Co-designers included people with post-stroke aphasia (n=4), family members (n=2), speech pathologists (n=2), occupational therapists (n=2), and a neuropsychologist (n=1).

Workshop activities included 1) journey map consensus [3] 2) discussion of existing gaps and potential solutions identified in focus group phase of research; 2) prioritisation and development of intervention components, and 3) prototype testing and refinement. Participants reviewed communication-accessible summaries of co-design sessions and prototypes of co-design products offline.

Results:

Activity/participation-based therapy resources were prioritised for development to align with stakeholders’ goals and priorities. Four intervention components were developed and iteratively refined: 1) an interdisciplinary screening assessment; 2) clinical resources to facilitate goal setting; 3) mobile phone education and skill guides; and 4) a treatment protocol for activity-based practice incorporating principles of meta-cognitive strategy training. Design principles for an AI-mediated text-messaging intervention were created for a future study.

Conclusion:

This co-design study developed novel resources to evaluate and facilitate effective communication exchange via text-messaging for people with post-stroke aphasia. Future research will evaluate intervention usability and efficacy.

  1. Kinsey, L.E., et al., Texting behaviors of individuals with chronic aphasia: A descriptive study. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 2022. 31(1): p. 99-112.
  2. Bate, P. and G. Robert, Bringing user experience to healthcare improvement: The concepts, methods and practices of experience-based design. 2007, Oxford: Radcliffe Pub.
  3. Joseph, A.L., A.W. Kushniruk, and E.M. Borycki, Patient journey mapping: Current practices, challenges and future opportunities in healthcare. Knowledge Management & E Learning, 2020. 12(4): p. 387-404.