Comparing Traditional Semantic Feature Analysis (tSFA) and Semantic Feature Analysis + Metacognitive Strategy Training (SFA+MST)

Comparing the Effectiveness of Traditional Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) Versus SFA Plus Metacognitive Strategy Training (SFA+MST) for People With Acquired Aphasia

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effectiveness of traditional Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) treatment to a modified SFA protocol that includes Metacognitive Strategy Training (SFA+MST) for adults with acquired aphasia. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• What are the comparative outcomes in picture naming accuracy and strategy use during picture naming following 2 months of traditional SFA versus SFA + MST in adults with acquired aphasia?
• What are the comparative outcomes in percent of informative content and rate of informative content during spontaneous speech production following 2 months of traditional SFA versus SFA + MST in adults with acquired aphasia?

Researchers will compare outcomes between these two treatments to see if SFA+MST yields larger effects in picture naming and spontaneous speech outcomes than traditional SFA.

Participants will complete:

• 5-7 pre-treatment assessment sessions where they will be asked to name pictures, tell stories/describe pictures, answer questions, and complete questionnaires,
• 3 treatment sessions of SFA *OR* SFA+MST per week for 8 weeks, for a total of 24 sessions,
• 7 weekly probes (i.e., short, intermittent assessments throughout the treatment phase),
• 3 post-treatment assessment sessions immediately after treatment ends, where they will complete the same assessment tasks as they did pre-treatment (e.g., naming pictures, telling stories, etc.),
• 2 retention assessment sessions, one 30 days and the other 60 days following the final treatment session, where they will be asked to name pictures, tell stories/describe pictures, and describe what they learned during the study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Have aphasia due to a single acute event (e.g., left-hemisphere stroke, traumatic brain injury)
• Be at least six-months post aphasia-onset,
• Be a proficient English speaker,
• Have normal or corrected to normal hearing (i.e., hearing aids) and vision (i.e., eyeglasses),
• Have no history of neurodegenerative disease (e.g., dementia), severe motor speech disorder, significant mental illness, psychiatric disorder, drug/alcohol abuse, or neurological condition that could influence their cognitive, language, and memory systems

Exclusion Criteria:

• A history of neurodegenerative disease (e.g., dementia), severe motor speech disorder, significant mental illness, psychiatric disorder, drug/alcohol abuse, or neurological condition that could influence their cognitive, language, and memory systems,
• Children under the age of 18,
• Adults over the age of 89,
• Uncorrected hearing and vision.