Parkinson’s disease research uncovers social barrier
People with Parkinson’s disease suffer social difficulties
simply because of the way they talk, a 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ researcher
has discovered. Marc Pell, at 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s School of Communication
Sciences and Disorders, has learned that many people develop
negative impressions about individuals with Parkinson’s disease,
based solely on how they communicate. These perceptions limit
opportunities for social interaction and full participation in
society for those with the disease, reducing their quality of life.
Pell’s research offers the public a better understanding of the
difficulties these patients face – as well as an opportunity to
promote greater inclusiveness.
The research was conducted in collaboration with Abhishek Jaywant,
a research trainee in 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ’s Neuropragmatics and Emotion Lab, and
with financial support from the Canadian Institutes of Health
Research and the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec. Aging
adults both with and without Parkinson’s were recorded as they
described visual scenes. Their voices were then played to listeners
who were unaware of the speaker’s health status. Those with
Parkinson’s disease were perceived as less interested, less
involved, less happy and less friendly than aging speakers without
the disease. Negative impressions of their personality were
specifically related to changes in the speaking voices caused by
the disease, not the ability to describe the scenes.
The ability to communicate effectively is of paramount importance
to the psychological well-being of all humans. This research
emphasizes that problems with movement, which alter the speaking
voice of Parkinsonian adults, create important social barriers and
difficulties with interpersonal communication for those affected.
These findings provide another avenue by which health professionals
can address mental and emotional health issues in Parkinson’s
patients.