Decision-making, cognition, and aphasia: developing a foundation for future discussions and inquiry

Background: Making a decision is a cognitive task that requires the use of cognitive functions such as attention, memory, language, and executive function. Researchers have found people with cognitive deficits perform worse than healthy controls on experimental measures of decision-making. Researchers have also shown that persons with aphasia (PWA) may have deficits in the cognitive functions implicated in rational decision-making.Aims: In this paper, we will discuss the cognitive processes associated with decision-making by examining decision-making abilities in populations with cognitive deficits. Then we will discuss cognitive functions within the dual-process theory of decision-making, and describe the way(s) in which these processes may be impaired in PWA. We will also present a theoretical model of cognitive processes involved in decision-making and discuss the potential clinical implications of cognitive impairments on decision-making in PWA.Main contribution: This paper provides a theoretical foundation to support future discussions and investigations of decision-making in PWA.Conclusions: Making a rational decision may be more challenging for PWA, given the possibility of concomitant cognitive impairments. Future research is needed to validate or refute the theoretical synthesis presented in this paper. This could be accomplished through a variety of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research studies.