Aging-Related Changes in Switching and Cluster Diversity in the Action Verbal Fluency Task Using Hierarchical Clustering Analysis.

IF 2.5 3区医学 Q1 AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology Pub Date : 2025-07-18 DOI:10.1044/2025_AJSLP-24-00399

Yae Rin Yoo, Yoonseob Lim, Eun Jin Paek, Jee Eun Sung

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to establish objective verb clustering criteria in action verbal fluency (VF) using hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) based on the Lancaster sensorimotor norms. We explored age-related differences in switching and cluster diversity (word retrieval strategies) between younger and older adults and correlations among age, education, working memory (WM) capacity, action VF performance, and word retrieval strategies for each group.

Method: Sixty-two native Korean speakers participated in the study, with 31 young adults (M_age = 27.39) and 31 older adults (M_age = 70.45). Participants completed a 1-min action VF task, and generated verbs were classified into 15 clusters based on the Lancaster sensorimotor ratings using HCA. We analyzed switching (shifts between clusters) and cluster diversity (number of unique verb clusters) to assess word retrieval strategies. WM capacity was measured through word-forward and word-backward (WB) tasks.

Results: Older adults demonstrated significantly fewer switchings and lower cluster diversity compared to younger adults, indicating restricted word retrieval strategies. WB task scores in older adults positively correlated with word retrieval strategies and action VF performance. Older individuals with younger age and higher education employed more word retrieval strategies. Both groups exhibited positive correlations between word retrieval strategies and action VF performance.

Conclusions: The novel HCA approach, based on the Lancaster sensorimotor norms, successfully classified verb clusters that revealed aging-related differences in word retrieval strategies and the relationship between WM and these strategies. These results highlight the potential of using the HCA method for verb clustering analyses, particularly in providing qualitative insights into action VF tasks.

Supplemental material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29396300.

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基于层次聚类分析的动作言语流畅性任务中转换和聚类多样性的年龄相关变化。

目的：采用基于兰开斯特感觉运动规范的层次聚类分析（HCA）建立动作言语流利性的客观动词聚类标准。我们探讨了年轻人和老年人在切换和聚类多样性（词语检索策略）方面的年龄相关差异，以及年龄、教育程度、工作记忆（WM）能力、动作VF表现和词语检索策略之间的相关性。方法：62名母语为韩语的人参与研究，其中青年31名（Mage = 27.39），老年人31名（Mage = 70.45）。参与者完成了一个1分钟的动作VF任务，并根据使用HCA的兰开斯特感觉运动评分将生成的动词分为15个簇。我们分析了切换（聚类之间的移动）和聚类多样性（唯一动词聚类的数量）来评估词检索策略。WM能力通过单词前向和单词后向（WB）任务来测量。结果：与年轻人相比，老年人表现出明显更少的转换和更低的聚类多样性，表明受限制的单词检索策略。老年人WB任务得分与词检索策略和动作VF表现呈正相关。年龄较小和受教育程度较高的老年人使用更多的词语检索策略。两组的词检索策略与动作VF表现呈正相关。结论：基于兰开斯特感觉运动规范的新型HCA方法成功地分类了动词簇，揭示了年龄相关的词检索策略差异以及WM与这些策略之间的关系。这些结果突出了使用HCA方法进行动词聚类分析的潜力，特别是在提供对动作VF任务的定性见解方面。补充资料：https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29396300。

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来源期刊

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY-REHABILITATION

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

11.50%

发文量

353

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Mission: AJSLP publishes peer-reviewed research and other scholarly articles on all aspects of clinical practice in speech-language pathology. The journal is an international outlet for clinical research pertaining to screening, detection, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan as well as the etiologies and characteristics of these disorders. Because of its clinical orientation, the journal disseminates research findings applicable to diverse aspects of clinical practice in speech-language pathology. AJSLP seeks to advance evidence-based practice by disseminating the results of new studies as well as providing a forum for critical reviews and meta-analyses of previously published work. Scope: The broad field of speech-language pathology, including aphasia; apraxia of speech and childhood apraxia of speech; aural rehabilitation; augmentative and alternative communication; cognitive impairment; craniofacial disorders; dysarthria; fluency disorders; language disorders in children; speech sound disorders; swallowing, dysphagia, and feeding disorders; and voice disorders.