[Controlled study of language re-education in aphasia: comparison between treated and untreated aphasics]

This study was undertaken in order to ascertain the specific effect of language rehabilitation on the oral expression of aphasic patients. The outcome of language disorders has been investigated in 185 aphasics (91 reeducated and 94 not reeducated) submitted to control examination at least 6 months following the first examination. Four of the main variables involved in the recovery process were studied: a) dependent variable, i. e., improvement, and the effects thereupon of 3 independent variables, i. e., a) the time interval between onset of aphasia and first examination, b) clinical type of aphasia on first examination and c) presence or absence of rehabilitation between first and second examination. Age, educational level, etiology and the time interval between first and second examination were controlled in all comparisons. The statistical analysis has established that language rehabilitation has a positive effect on the improvement of oral expression, while the duration of aphasia at the time of the first examination has an equally significant, but negative effect on improvement.