Abstract
Purpose: This study explored how driving ability or loss affects the social, emotional, and practical quality of life of people with aphasia (PWA). Given that driving is a key marker of independence, identity, and community participation, the study aimed to understand how individuals with aphasia experience driving resumption or cessation and how these experiences shape daily functioning and psychosocial well‑being.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven adults with aphasia recruited from a university-based aphasia group. Interviews were completed in a private university clinic room. Open-ended questions elicited participants’ feelings, experiences, and perceptions regarding driving or not driving after aphasia. Interviews were audio‑recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring themes related to emotional adjustment, social participation, and practical daily challenges.
Results: Participants who continued to drive described driving as essential for maintaining independence, identity, and normalcy. They reported increased confidence, emotional stability, and the ability to engage in familiar community roles and routines. In contrast, non-drivers reported profound losses in autonomy, heightened frustration and sadness, and diminished social participation. They also described increased dependency, reduced mobility, and significant emotional distress associated with loss of driving. Across participants, driving functioned as a means of independence and connection.
Conclusions: Driving status plays a critical role in shaping life participation, emotional well‑being, and social engagement for PWA. Findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary collaboration as well as a broader role for speech-language pathologists in addressing communication barriers, facilitating participation‑centered goal setting, and supporting psychosocial adjustment. Understanding the lived experience of driving and driving loss can help clinicians provide more holistic, person-centered care that promotes quality of life alongside communication recovery.
Recommended Citation
Welch, K., & Huddleston, E. (2026). Exploring the Quality-of-Life Impact of Driving for People with Aphasia. Appalachian Student Healthcare Research Review, 1(1). Retrieved from https://mds.marshall.edu/ashrr/vol1/iss1/4