Effects of Recursive Self-feedback on Speech Production in Aphasia

Recursive Self-feedback Procedures for Improving Spontaneous Speech Production in Patients With Chronic Aphasia

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effects of recursive self-feedback procedures on spontaneous speech production in stroke survivors with impaired speech production (aphasia). The main question it aims to answer is:

• To what extent can stroke survivors with aphasia use their self-feedback alone to improve their spontaneous speech production?

Participants will be engaged in the following activities:

• They will perform language and cognitive tasks.
• Afterwards, they will receive treatments using tablets and headphones at no cost to them.
• The experimental treatments (recursive self-feedback procedures) entails responding to prompts, listening to playbacks of their speech response and attempt to minimize/correct the errors in the next attempt. This process will be repeated multiple times per prompt.
• The experimental treatments are two: an adaptive version that adapts the complexity of the treatment prompt and a non-adaptive version that does not adapt task complexity.
• Researchers will compare the experimental treatments to see if both have similar effects on improving spontaneous speech production.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 6 months post left hemisphere stroke
• Aphasia due to left hemisphere stroke
• Dominant English speaker

Exclusion Criteria:

• Speech-language deficits due to neurological insults such as Parkinson's disease, neurodegenerative conditions etc.
• Uncorrected sensory impairments.
• Language comprehension impairment.
• Severe cognitive impairment.