Cognitive Therapy to Improve Word Finding

Sponsor

Georgetown University (Other)

Overall Status

Completed

CT.gov ID

NCT00494520

Collaborator

(none)

Enrollment

Location

Arms

Duration (Months)

1.3

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

Adults who sustain brain damage due to stroke, traumatic injury or surgery may develop difficulty finding words. This study compares the effectiveness of two behavior-based programs to improve picture naming ability in these individuals.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Anomia Aphasia Traumatic Brain Injury Cerebrovascular Accident	Procedure: Errorful training condition Procedure: Errorless training condition	N/A

Detailed Description

Difficulty finding words is common in patients with aphasia subsequent to left hemisphere stroke. This study will compare two cognitive therapies for the treatment of acquired word finding difficulties. The therapies use different types of cues. All participants will receive both therapies. Participants in this study will undergo a comprehensive and detailed assessment of language and other cognitive skills. The two treatments will be compared for their efficacy.

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Actual Enrollment :

78 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Single Group Assignment

Masking:

None (Open Label)

Primary Purpose:

Treatment

Official Title:

Learning Paradigms in Aphasia Rehabilitation

Study Start Date :

Jul 1, 2004

Actual Primary Completion Date :

Jun 1, 2009

Actual Study Completion Date :

Jun 1, 2009

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Errorful training condition A type of anomia rehabilitation paradigm which allows for errors. The intervention involves providing minimal auditory cues to allow for errors in picture naming.	Procedure: Errorful training condition Errorful training condition: Participant saw a picture and named it without any cues. If an error was produced, the cue with the least amount of information was provided (e.g. for "pumpkin", "pu"). Cues with increasing information were provided until the picture was correctly named (e.g. for "pumpkin": "pump", "pumpki", then "pumpkin"). Once the correct name was provided, the trial ended.
Experimental: Errorless training condition A type of anomia rehabilitation paradigm in which the situation surrounding the performance of the desired task (i.e., picture naming) is controlled to prevent errors. The intervention involves providing maximal auditory cues to prevent errors in picture naming.	Procedure: Errorless training condition Errorless learning (EL) condition: Participant saw a picture with its name, and repeated the word. The participant continued to name the picture as the auditory cues provided less and less of the word (e.g. for "banana" she would hear "banan", "bana" then "ba" and finally no cue). If an error was produced at any stage, the whole word was presented, the participant repeated it, and the trial ended.

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Experimental: Errorful training condition

A type of anomia rehabilitation paradigm which allows for errors. The intervention involves providing minimal auditory cues to allow for errors in picture naming.

Procedure: Errorful training condition

Errorful training condition: Participant saw a picture and named it without any cues. If an error was produced, the cue with the least amount of information was provided (e.g. for "pumpkin", "pu"). Cues with increasing information were provided until the picture was correctly named (e.g. for "pumpkin": "pump", "pumpki", then "pumpkin"). Once the correct name was provided, the trial ended.

Experimental: Errorless training condition

A type of anomia rehabilitation paradigm in which the situation surrounding the performance of the desired task (i.e., picture naming) is controlled to prevent errors. The intervention involves providing maximal auditory cues to prevent errors in picture naming.

Procedure: Errorless training condition

Errorless learning (EL) condition: Participant saw a picture with its name, and repeated the word. The participant continued to name the picture as the auditory cues provided less and less of the word (e.g. for "banana" she would hear "banan", "bana" then "ba" and finally no cue). If an error was produced at any stage, the whole word was presented, the participant repeated it, and the trial ended.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Improved picture naming of trained words. [Following conclusion of word treatment.]
Overall accuracy of named trained items

Secondary Outcome Measures

Improved picture naming of trained words. [At 6 months after conclusion of word treatment]
Overall accuracy of named trained items
Improved picture naming of untrained words. [Following conclusion of word treatment.]
Overall accuracy of named untrained items
Improved picture naming of untrained words. [At 6 months after conclusion of word treatment]
Overall accuracy of named untrained items

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and Older

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

Word finding difficulty subsequent to stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain surgery or other brain damage occuring at least 6 month prior to participation
Ability to attend 2 sessions per week for several months at Georgetown University in Washington, DC