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Thinkspeech.org a web-based verb intervention

Maricela Cortes1* and Christine H. Davis2
  • 1 California State University, Sacramento, Communication Sciences and Disorders, United States
  • 2 University of California, Davis Medical Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, United States

Home-based computerized therapy offers persons with aphasia (PWA) practice that not only alleviates the constraints of limited authorizations for therapy (Katz, 2010; Palmer et al., 2012; van de Sandt-Koenderman, 2011; Varley, 2011) but also offers therapy at times that are opportune for the client. Computerized semantic therapy can restore access to and knowledge of lexemes in PWA (McCann, & Doleman, 2011) and has the potential to become an important part of an integrated approach to treatment (Lee, & Man, 2017; Schuchard, & Thompson, 2014). This therapy is ideal for the client that can access representations in the semantic network and practice the target (De Aguiar, Bastiaanse, & Miceli, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine 1) the effectiveness of a home-based computerized method for teaching verbs to PWA, 2) generalization to untrained verbs as measured by production accuracy of non-targeted words 3) training effectiveness by d statistic size effects. Five native English speakers (3 male; age 30-80, M = 55) were recruited from a University Medical Center. All participants were assessed on the Western Aphasia Battery (Kertesz, 2006) and met criteria with scores on the Pyramids and Palm Trees Test (Howard & Patterson, 1992) that indicated ability to access semantic relationships and adequate repetition skills as tested on the Apraxia Battery for Adults (Dabul, 2000). This research used a single-subject multiple-baseline research design. Participants accessed training via “Thinkspeech.org.” “Thinkspeech.org” is based on neuro-linguistic models and evidence-based research that support semantic treatment to improve access to verbs. Three pretests determined the baselines for four sets of eleven treated and untreated verbs. Each set of verbs was matched for frequency. Treated and untreated verbs were probed weekly. Criteria for cessation of training were met after demonstrating accuracy at greater or equal to 9/11 verbs over two consecutive probe sessions. The format was a four-picture template with a semantic question at the top that required the participant to select one to three of the pictures and inhibit closely related semantic foils. One hundred twenty randomized templates were developed that queried the agent and object of each set of verbs. Templates gave immediate feedback via a color code of green for correct responses or red for incorrect. The client was free to determine the length of each session. Effect sizes were calculated to provide a standardized index of change between the trained and untrained verb lists using the d statistic calculated according to procedures described by Busk and Serlin (1992, pp. 1997-198). Clear response to treatment was verified by medium to large size effects (see Table 1) from all participants. These training effects were maintained eight months after cessation of training. There was no significant generalization to untrained verbs observed upon visual inspection and effect sizes. These findings support the use of semantic decision-based training for verbs and demonstrate that computerized home-based therapy provides an affordable augmentation to standard speech therapy.

References

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De Aguiar, V., Bastiaanse, R., & Miceli, G. (2016). Improving Production of Treated and Untreated Verbs in Aphasia: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, 468. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00468

Howard, D., & Patterson, K. E. (1992). The Pyramids and Palm Trees Test: A test of semantic access from words and pictures. Thames Valley Test Company.

Katz, R. C. (2010). Computers in the treatment of chronic aphasia. In Seminars in speech and language (Vol. 31, No. 01, pp. 034-041). Published by Thieme Medical Publishers.

Kertesz, A. (2006). Western aphasia battery-revised (wab-r): Harcourt Assessment. San Antonio, TX.

Lee, J., & Man, G. (2017). Language recovery in aphasia following implicit structural priming training: a case study. Aphasiology, 1-18.

McCann, C., & Doleman, J. (2011). Verb retrieval in nonfluent aphasia: A replication of Edwards & Tucker, 2006. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 24(2), 237-248.

Palmer, R., Enderby, P., Cooper, C., Latimer, N., Julious, S., Paterson, G., . . . Hughes, H. (2012). Computer therapy compared with usual care for people with long-standing aphasia poststroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Stroke, 43(7), 1904-11.

Schuchard, J., & Thompson, C. (2014). Implicit and Explicit Learning in Individuals with Agrammatic Aphasia. Journal Of Psycholinguistic Research, 43(3), 209-224. doi:10.1007/s10936-013-9248-4

van de Sandt-Koenderman, W. E. (2011). Aphasia rehabilitation and the role of computer technology: can we keep up with modern times?. International Journal Of Speech-Language Pathology, 13(1), 21-27. doi:10.3109/17549507.2010.502973

Varley, R. (2011). Rethinking aphasia therapy: a neuroscience perspective. International Journal Of Speech-Language Pathology, 13(1), 11-20. doi:10.3109/17549507.2010.497561

Keywords: web-based intervention, verb intervention, Aphasia, home-based computerized therapy, Semantic treatment

Conference: Academy of Aphasia 55th Annual Meeting , Baltimore, United States, 5 Nov - 7 Nov, 2017.

Presentation Type: poster presentation

Topic: Consider for student award

Citation: Cortes M and Davis CH (2019). Thinkspeech.org a web-based verb intervention. Conference Abstract: Academy of Aphasia 55th Annual Meeting . doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2017.223.00061

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Received: 20 Apr 2017; Published Online: 25 Jan 2019.

* Correspondence: Ms. Maricela Cortes, California State University, Sacramento, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Sacramento, California, 95819, United States, cortesmaricela@hotmail.com