Investigating Communication Support Strategies as ‘Micro‐Interventions’: A Conceptual‐Methodological Framework Applying Realist Evaluation and Relevance Theory

Abstract

What is already known on this subject Communication Partner Training (CPT) is widely applied in speech and language therapy practice, premised on the idea that communication support strategies can optimise conversations involving persons with communication disabilities. What this study adds to existing knowledge This paper situates communication support strategies as 'micro-interventions', and proposes an approach to study how and why these strategies influence pragmatic processing in different contexts. The approach outlined involved realist evaluation and relevance theory. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Understanding how and why communication supports strategies influence pragmatic processing opens up the opportunity to identify universal principles across different clinical groups.