“The magic of aphasic theater”
Comics The magic of aphasic theater earned Emna Fakhfakh, a doctoral student in speech therapy at the University of Montreal, first place in the Acfas Research Popularization Competition.
Inspired by the stories of people with aphasia who participated in a qualitative study on the effects of aphasic theater, the work immerses us in the daily life of Stéphane, 63, who suffers from this language disorder since a stroke. His language difficulties remain and he gradually isolates himself. During his rehabilitation course, he participates in aphasic theater workshops and engages in a theater creation project at the end of which his social life and well-being will be considerably improved.
Emna Fakhfakh holds a bachelor’s degree in speech therapy from the University of Tunis El Manar and a master’s degree in speech therapy from the University of Montreal. Since fall 2021, she has been a member of the LAIR and IV laboratories. While her research focuses on neurological disorders in the elderly, she has a particular interest in the Aphasic Theater project, directed by Maud Gendron-Langevin and Ingrid Verduyckt. In particular, she explores the potential of virtual reality in the speech therapy rehabilitation of people with aphasia and their social integration during interactions.
Acfas Succession Prize
As a doctoral student in psychoeducation at UdeM, Félix Bélanger received the Acfas Relève prize, in the Education section, for his exceptional career in the field of psychosocial intervention.
In his bachelor’s degree in psychoeducation at the University of Quebec in Outaouais, Félix Bélanger was interested in psychosocial intervention with marginalized populations such as Indigenous youth, young people struggling with mental health problems, members of the community 2SLGBTQIA+ and adults experiencing homelessness. His training continued with a master’s degree at the University of Montreal: his dissertation focused on peer victimization and academic performance, illustrating his passion for research and its application in a school environment. Today, in his doctoral studies at UdeM, Félix Bélanger focuses on the school gender climate and participates in the creation of research projects intended to support these populations.
The Acfas Relève prize awarded to Félix Bélanger includes a $2,000 scholarship. Established in 2022, this prize rewards the popularized work of the new generation of researchers in Quebec and Canada in various fields.
