Effectiveness of Semantic-based Treatment in Persons with Aphasia

Area of Science:

• Neurolinguistics
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Cognitive Rehabilitation

Background:

• Semantic-based treatments are crucial for addressing word retrieval deficits in persons with aphasia (PWAs).
• These therapies aim to enhance semantic attributes of target words, facilitating word recall.
• The study introduces Semantic Cueing of Verbs and its Thematic role (SCVTr) therapy, utilizing verbs and graded semantic cues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the novel Semantic Cueing of Verbs and its Thematic role (SCVTr) therapy.
• To assess the impact of SCVTr on word retrieval abilities in individuals with aphasia.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of three participants (n=3) with aphasia received SCVTr therapy.
• Assessments were conducted at pre-therapy, mid-therapy (10th session), and post-therapy (20th session) time points.
• Standardized test batteries evaluated noun, verb, and discourse abilities.

Main Results:

• Participants demonstrated significant improvements in trained conditions and discourse genres.
• Marginal gains were observed with untrained stimuli, indicating some generalization.
• SCVTr therapy positively altered error patterns and improved performance on standardized language tests.

Conclusions:

• SCVTr therapy is an effective intervention for remediating word retrieval deficits in PWAs.
• The findings contribute to understanding how strengthening semantic networks impacts word retrieval and generalization.