A Novel Treatment for Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech : Measurement of Outcomes

A Novel Treatment for Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech: Measurement of Outcomes

In order to determine if speech-language therapy has positive effect, reliable measurement tools are required to document outcomes. Currently, there is very limited information concerning the measurement of changes in speech production as a result of treatment for acquired apraxia of speech and aphasia. This study will obtain information concerning the reliability of several speech production measures over time. Thirty persons with chronic aphasia and apraxia of speech will be asked to provide speech samples in response to commonly used assessment tools on three sampling occasions so that the stability of measurements may be examined.

After establishment of appropriate outcome measures, a small, pilot treatment study will be conducted with four participants. The participants will receive a new treatment for aphasia and acquired apraxia of speech and outcomes will be measured relative to speech and language production.

A single group, repeated measures design will be used to obtain repeated speech samples from 30 persons with chronic acquired apraxia of speech and aphasia. Speech samples will be elicited using commonly employed motor speech assessment protocols; an initial sample, a sample one week following the initial sample, and a sample at four weeks following the initial sample. The following measures will be obtained from the samples: percent consonants correct, percent fluent utterances, and duration of utterance. Stability of the measures will be examined.

After the preceding measures have been analyzed, a series of four, single-subject experimental designs will be conducted. Four participants with chronic aphasia and apraxia of speech will receive a new treatment for aphasia and apraxia of speech applied sequentially to two sets of experimental picture picture stimuli. Outcomes will be measured in terms of speech production (measures described above) as well as in terms of language production.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Veterans or non Veterans with aphasia and apraxia of speech who reside in the Salt Lake City region (commutable),
• 12 months or more post stroke or other focal brain injury, no other neurological conditions,
• native English speakers, hearing adequate for experimental task (e.g., pass puretone screening at 35dB at 500, 1K, 2K Hz),
• non linguistic cognition within normal limits

Exclusion Criteria:

• less than 12 months post stroke,
• insufficient hearing, insufficient non linguistic cognitive skills,
• neurological conditions other than stroke,
• more than one stroke or brain injury
• unable to attend treatment in the Salt Lake City vicinity