Freeman, Cosette Daane (SP?), August, 1987 - EFFECTS OF CHRONIC APHASIA ON INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION Abstract: This study examines the manifold effects of chronic, adult-onset aphasia on intimate relationships. The subject of this thesis is a man who became totally disabled in 1971, at age thirty-one, following a series of cerebral hemorrhages. One purpose of this study is to provide, in the absence of longitudinal research, a diachronic narrative of a young aphasic person. A second purpose is to provide an account of a young aphasic individual who is an ethnic minority within the larger society. The final purpose is to contribute to the understanding of the special problems faced by young stroke families resulting from age-status asynchronization. The themes of incongruity, marginality, and paucity of anticipatory mechanisms or transitional roles emerge in the experience of young aphasic families. Research on aphasia as a stressor and aphasia and sexuality presented in chapters preceding the life history is based upon participant observation, interviews, and open-ended written inquiries. The life history is organized using Mandelbaum's (1973) model, encompassing the sociocultural, biological, and psychosocial dimensions, the turnings, and the adaptations of a person's life. Interpretation of the life history and research draws upon the concepts of anomaly and liminality from symbolic theory. Additional interpretation of the life history is based on Watson and Watson-Franke's (1985) model of the ideal self. This model helps to demonstrate the arduous struggle of young aphasic persons for meaning and integrity in the midst of preconceived definitions of roles and productivity. The anomalous and liminal position of young aphasic families creates a hidden population whose complex needs are often unmet. The role of applied anthropology to inform policy and educate professionals who work with young aphasic families is discussed, and recommendations are made for counseling needs, resource allocation, and the therapeutic uses of the life history method. Finally, the need for a specialty in clinical neuroanthropology is suggested.