Table 4.

Cohort comparison of communication outcomes.

Communication outcome	Usual care (n = 30)	BCST (n = 29)	AAC + SLP (n = 30)	Total (N = 89)	Test statistic, p-value
Frequency MNAE^A	5.52 ± .41	7.37 ± .42	7.50 ± .41	6.76 ± .20	F_phase = 7.10, p < .01
					F_unit = 1.32, p = .25
					F_pxu = 8.89, p < .01
Positive behavior^B	.72 ± .06	.81 ± .07	.63 ± .07	.73 ± .02	F_phase = 2.33, p = .10
					F_unit = 11.30, p < .01
					Fpxu = 3.57, p = .03
Success^A	.72 ± .04	.72 ± .04	.79 ± .04	.74 ± .02	F_phase = .80, p = .46
					F_unit = .02, p = .90
Success about pain and other symptoms^A					Wald Chi Sq_phase = 5.38, p = .07
					Wald Chi Sq_unit = .08, p = .78
Not successful	18 (64.3)	10 (26.3)	10 (38.5)	38 (45.8)
Successful	10 (35.7)	19 (65.5)	16 (61.5)	45 (54.2)
Missing	2	0	4	6
Success about pain^A					Wald Chi Sq_phase = 7.11, p = .03
					Wald Chi Sq_unit = .47, p = .50
Not successful	16 (61.5)	7 (29.2)	6 (27.3)	29 (40.3)
Successful	10 (38.5)	17 (70.8)	16 (72.7)	43 (59.7)
Missing	4	5	8	17
Level of difficulty in communication^C:					F_phase = 7.67, p < .01
					F_unit = 8.02, p < .01
Easy	18 (60.0)	16 (55.2)	21 (75.0)	55 (61.8)
Difficult	8 (26.7)	9 (31.0)	3 (10.7)	20 (22.5)
Missing	4	4	6	14

Note: F-tests obtained from mixed modeling analyses. Statistics obtained when adjusting for the following set of variables.

BCST = basic communication skills training.

AAC + SLP = communication training, electronic augmentative and alternative communication devices + speech language pathology consultation.

MNAE = mean number of communication acts in an exchange.

: no covariate adjustment required.

: sedation (RASS) (F = 6.63, p < .01) added to the model.

: delirium (cAM-ICU) (F = 11.46, p < .001) added to the model.

Note: Mean and standard error reported for continuous data (mean + SD) and count and percentages (n, (%)) reported for categorical data.