Developing a test of comprehension of non-literal language in medical conversational context

Research output: Unpublished conference presentation (presented paper, abstract, poster)Conference presentation (not published in journal/proceeding/book)Academic researchpeer-review

Abstract

The ability to detect and comprehend non-literal language (e.g., you overstepped the mark, he’s running around in circles, she stabbed him in the back) develops naturally during childhood. However, this ability may be compromised among individuals with language disorders, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia (Benjamin, Newton, & Ebbels, 2000; Saban-Bezalel & Mashal, 2019; Titone, Holzman, & Levy, 2002) and those who speak English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL). To communicate effectively and accurately, healthcare professionals need to be aware of their use of non-literal language in client communication and have the means to assess the clients’ ability to comprehend non-literal language.

A database of 41,973 familiar English expressions was recently developed in which items are arranged in a descending order of their frequencies of use in everyday speech and writing. This paper presents the aim, design and effectiveness of a 40-item non-literal language competence test developed, based on the list, for assessing healthcare support seekers’ ability to comprehend non-literal language in a clinical context. The test takes the format of a discourse completion task (DCT), in which non-literal expressions are embedded in unbiased medical conversational contexts. The task requires support seekers to choose the most appropriate response from among 5 choices, including I don’t know. This paper also discusses the results of a pilot study designed to validate the validity and reliability of the non-literal competence test using data from 50 local EFL learners.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusNot published / presented only - 14 Jul 2022
Event20TH INTERNATIONAL AND INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATION, MEDICINE AND ETHICS - Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Duration: 13 Jul 202215 Jul 2022

Conference

Conference20TH INTERNATIONAL AND INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATION, MEDICINE AND ETHICS
Abbreviated titleCOMET
Country/TerritoryHong Kong
CityHong Kong
Period13/07/2215/07/22

Keywords

  • Formulaic language
  • test development
  • English language teaching
  • health communication
  • Diagnostic test

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