Self-Improved Language Production in Nonfluent Aphasia Through Automated Recursive Self-Feedback.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Speech and Language Pathology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Persons with nonfluent aphasia (PWNA) utilize external and self-feedback for language improvement.
• The efficacy of self-feedback alone in PWNA's language production remains underexplored.
• Previous proof-of-concept study developed automated recursive self-feedback for PWNA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To replicate initial findings on automated recursive self-feedback in PWNA.
• To compare recursive self-feedback with external feedback for improving language production in PWNA.
• To assess the generalization of treatment effects to untrained scripts.

Main Methods:

• Four individuals with chronic nonfluent aphasia participated.
• Two treatments were tested: script production with recursive self-feedback and script production with external feedback.
• Participants used a mobile app on mini tablets for remote, intensive treatment over 14 sessions.
• Outcomes measured included percent script produced, speaking rate, and speech initiation latency.
• Nonoverlap of all pairs analysis was used to estimate clinical improvements.

Main Results:

• Both recursive self-feedback and external feedback improved PWNA's language production.
• Recursive self-feedback enhanced speaking rate and speech initiation latency, generalizing to untrained scripts for all participants.
• External feedback did not generalize to speaking rate improvements in two participants.

Conclusions:

• Findings confirm that PWNA can self-improve sentence production using recursive self-feedback.
• This novel procedure allows PWNA to autonomously enhance language production.
• The procedure's potential to overcome linguistic barriers in aphasia care is highlighted.