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Updated: Sep 30, 2025
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Lexical Decision Task for Studying Written Word Recognition in Adults with and without Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: June 25, 2019
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A randomized crossover single-case series comparing blocked versus random treatment for anomia
Victoria A Diedrichs1, Jennifer P Lundine1, Deena Schwen Blackett1
1Department of Speech and Hearing Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
|March 15, 2022
Summary
Blocked practice aids skill acquisition, while random practice aids retention. For anomia treatment, random practice may enhance long-term word retrieval gains, though acquisition was similar for both methods.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Motor learning research indicates blocked practice improves skill acquisition, whereas random practice enhances retention and transfer.
- Similar findings exist in verbal learning and memory literature, suggesting practice schedules impact learning outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential effects of blocked versus random practice schedules in the treatment of anomia.
- To determine which practice schedule, blocked or random, is more effective for improving word retrieval in individuals with anomia.
Main Methods:
- A single-site, randomized crossover design was employed with 10 participants diagnosed with anomia.
- Each participant underwent four treatment phases: two blocked and two random, involving cued picture-naming therapy.
- Treatment and maintenance effects were analyzed using Tau-U, calculating the proportion of correctly named probes.
Main Results:
- Nine out of ten participants showed treatment effects across all four practice phases.
- Acquisition of word retrieval skills was comparable between blocked and random practice conditions.
- Maintenance effects were more frequently observed after random practice (12 phases) compared to blocked practice (7 phases).
Conclusions:
- While both blocked and random practice facilitate anomia treatment, random practice may offer superior maintenance of word retrieval gains.
- For anomia therapy involving repeated item practice, random presentation schedules could be more beneficial for sustained improvement.
- Further research is warranted to confirm the long-term benefits of random practice in anomia rehabilitation.
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