Cognitive-Communicative Aspects of Language Functioning in Older Adults: Bulgarian Application of the SCCAN

Applied Linguistics / Приложно езикознание

Kostadin Chompalov

Medical University of Plovdiv

Dimitar Vesselinov
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (Bulgaria)

Dobrinka Georgieva

Medical University of Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

Robert  Orlikoff
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC (USA)

https://doi.org/10.53656/for2025-04-02

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluates the clinical applicability of the adapted Bulgarian Scales of Cognitive and Communicative Ability for Neurorehabilitation (SCCAN) for differentiating cognitively healthy older adults from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Methods: Fifty-two participants (31 cognitively healthy, 21 diagnosed with AD) completed the Bulgarian SCCAN and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney U tests to examine between-group differences.

Results: Significant differences (p < .05) were identified across all SCCAN subtests, particularly in memory, verbal expression, attention, and orientation. The SCCAN demonstrated strong sensitivity to cognitive-communicative deficits and high consistency with MMSE scores.

Conclusions: The findings confirm the validity and clinical usefulness of the Bulgarian SCCAN. This instrument provides detailed cognitive-communicative profiling. It can effectively support diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making processes for older adults with neurodegenerative conditions.

Keywords: cognitive-communicative disorders, language functioning, Alzheimer’s disease, SCCAN, MMSE

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