Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Behavioral And Neurophysiological Correlates Of Sensorimotor Impairment In Aphasia, Lorelei Phillip Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Developing a clearer understanding of the basic impairments which underlie the behavioral characteristics of aphasia is essential for informing the development of targeted and effective treatment techniques. Impairments in sensorimotor integration have already been implicated in the repetition deficits common to individuals with aphasia, but much less is known about the extent to which these integrative deficits occur outside of conduction aphasia and how this manifests behaviorally in areas other than speech repetition. The goal of the present study was to examine these issues further by addressing the following aims: 1) To examine the behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of sensorimotor …

The Impact Of Depression On Treatment Outcomes For Patients With Aphasia Who Participate In An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (Icap), Harley B. Kincheloe

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Abstract

Background: Aphasia is a multi-modal impairment resulting from left-hemisphere stroke. Aphasia is often accompanied by post-stroke depression. Acquiring aphasia and depression is seen to hinder quality of life and rehabilitative outcomes. Traditional stroke therapy often does not monitor or treat psychological difficulties such as depression. Such psychological difficulties hinder progress in recovery and may need to be addressed in therapy to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Aims: In response to the lack of psychological support for persons with aphasia, this literature review aims to explore the impact of depression on functional outcomes. Furthermore, this literature review will explore how …

Automated Speech Recognition In Adult Stroke Survivors: Comparing Human And Computer Transcriptions, Tyson G. Harmon, Adam Jacks, Katarina L. Haley, Gary Bishop

Faculty Publications

Objective: Speech sound errors are common in people with a variety of communication disorders and can result in impaired message transmission to listeners. Valid and reliable metrics exist to quantify this problem, but they are rarely used in clinical settings due to the time-intensive nature of speech transcription by humans. Automated speech recognition (ASR) technologies have advanced substantially in recent years, enabling them to serve as realistic proxies for human listeners. This study aimed to determine how closely transcription scores from human listeners correspond to scores from an ASR system. Patients and Methods: Sentence recordings from 10 stroke survivors with …

Treatment Of Auditory Processing In Noise In Individuals With Mild Aphasia: Pilot Study, Anastasia M. Raymer, Hilary M. Sandberg, Kathryn S. Schwartz, Ginger S. Watson, Stacie I. Ringleb

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: Listening in noise challenges listeners with auditory comprehension impairments in aphasia. We examined the effects of Trivia Game, a computerized program with questions spoken in increasing levels of background noise with success in the game.

Methods: We piloted Trivia Game in four individuals with chronic aphasia and mild auditory comprehension impairments. Participants played Trivia Game for 12 twenty-minute sessions. In addition to the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB), we measured outcomes on Quick Speech in Noise (QSIN), a sentence repetition test, administered in auditory (AUD) and auditory+visual (AV) conditions as signal-to-noise ratio varied from 25 to 0 dB.

Results: All …

Examining The Effects Of Pause Times On Auditory Comprehension Utilizing Secondary Data Analysis, Katelyn Vera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this secondary data analysis research study, existing data were analyzed in order to compare behavioral and electrophysiological performance in an individual with aphasia and an individual with no brain damage. The effects of pauses of different durations (i.e., 1, 2, or 3 seconds) inserted within a spoken message were analyzed by examining behavioral and electrophysiological data. Data analyzed included correct response rate, behavioral reaction time, and N400 event related potential (ERP) component amplitude and latency. The following research questions were examined: Is there a difference between the individual with aphasia and the individual with no brain damage for each …

Speech Fluency In Acquired Apraxia Of Speech During Narrative Discourse: Group Comparisons And Dual Task Effects, Tyson G. Harmon, Adam Jacks, Katarina L. Haley

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Slowed speech and interruptions to the flow of connected speech are common in aphasia. These features are also observed during dual task performance for neurotypical adults. The purposes of this study were to determine (a) whether indices of fluency related to cognitive-linguistic versus motor processing would differ between speakers with aphasia plus AOS and speakers with aphasia only and (b) whether cognitive load reduces fluency in speakers with aphasia with and without AOS.

Method: Fourteen speakers with aphasia (seven with AOS) and seven neurotypical controls retold short stories alone (single task) and while simultaneously distinguishing between a high and …

A Review Of Attention, Memory, Word Finding, And Executive Function To Support Client Rehabilitation In A Group Therapy Setting, Anna Uftring, Michelle Estand, Annie Heineman, Samantha Marusiak

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

This paper is a review of attention, memory, word finding, and executive function to support individuals with deficits in these areas seen in a rehabilitative speech-language therapy setting. Each chapter contains a definition of the domain and describes the subdomains included. The chapters also include the neurology associated with the domain and common disorders that include deficits in the areas of attention, memory, word finding, and executive functioning. At the end of each chapter, recommended treatment principles are provided to guide therapy with each domain. This paper was created to accompany a therapy manual titled “Providing Connections Through Group Therapy” …

Promoting Aphasia Awareness, Yvonne M. Faria, Fiona Mcnulty, Veronica C. Gonzalez, Peggy S. Conner

Publications and Research

The National Aphasia Association defines aphasia as an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and ability to write. This communication disorder is typically acquired after a brain injury resulting from an accident or stroke. Nearly 180,000 Americans acquire aphasia each year. Despite efforts to increase awareness about aphasia, via organizations such as the National Aphasia Association, general knowledge is still limited. In 2000 Elman and colleagues collected data on the number of news articles that mentioned the term “aphasia” and compared it to similar health conditions with comparable or lower prevalence rates. They found that these …

Aphasia Simulation: A Perspective From The Student And Standardized Patient, Suzanne Moineau, Deb Bennett, Alison Scheer-Cohen

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The aim of the current study was to examine student ability, student and standardized patient perceptions of competency, and student perceptions of effectiveness of simulation methodology for conducting language screenings on individuals with aphasia. Graduate students enrolled in a mandatory course on acquired language disorders (n = 36) completed a variety of simulated learning experiences using videos, high-fidelity manikins, and standardized patients, in preparing them for clinical practice with persons with aphasia. 5-point Likert scales and open-ended survey questions relating to student and standardized patients’ perceptions were administered. Results demonstrated a strong positive perception that simulation promotes student understanding of …

The Role Of Stress In The Differential Diagnosis Of Apraxia Of Speech And Aphasia, Jennifer G. Ferranti

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explore and develop the quantification of AOS features, particularly the deficits of prosodic elements, lexical stress and duration. This study investigated whether PVI can be used as a sensitive tool for the differential diagnosis of AOS. Specifically, we sought to determine whether analysis of vowel length of stressed and unstressed syllables is helpful in differentiating between individuals with AOS and aphasia versus aphasia alone. Significant differences support the hypothesis that PVI, analyzed from vowel length, is uniquely affected in AOS. This yields reason for further research in prosodic deficits in differential diagnosis, as …

Joint Decision-Making In Married Couples Affected By Aphasia, Ryan S. Husak

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Background: Aphasia is an acquired language disorder, usually due to stroke, that affects the social functioning and the quality of life of the person with aphasia as well as the quality of life of his or her family and caregivers. Traditional aphasia therapy has tended to focus on decontextualized tasks and discrete elements of language functioning. The Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) focuses on the collaborative nature of communication and addresses communication within personally relevant contexts. Joint decision-making is one type of social interaction that occurs frequently between married couples and has received considerable attention in the literature. …

The Effects Of Enactment On Communicative Competence In Aphasic Casual Conversation: A Functional Linguistic Perspective, Rimke Groenewold, Elizabeth Armstrong

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Previous research has shown that speakers with aphasia rely on enactment more often than non-brain-damaged language users. Several studies have been conducted to explain this observed increase, demonstrating that spoken language containing enactment is easier to produce and is more engaging to the conversation partner. This paper describes the effects of the occurrence of enactment in casual conversation involving individuals with aphasia on its level of conversational assertiveness. Aims: To evaluate whether and to what extent the occurrence of enactment in speech of individuals with aphasia contributes to its conversational assertiveness. Methods & Procedures: Conversations between a speaker with …

Proactive Social Validation Of Methods And Procedures Used For Training Speech Production In Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Lucy Hardy, Katarina L. Haley

Faculty Publications

Background: Social validation evaluates the importance and acceptability of treatment goals, procedures, and outcomes. Previous studies for treatments that train speech production in aphasia have applied social validation during the post-treatment period or to treatment protocols that are already fully developed.

Aims: The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the social validity of goals and procedures experienced in speech production treatment for people with aphasia and (2) evaluate the feasibility of procedural choice-making during such tasks.

Method: Seven people with aphasia and eight speech-language pathologists were interviewed about previous treatment that targeted speech production. Participants were also observed …

Aphasia Couples Therapy: A Case Study Of Conversational Coaching For A Man With Conduction Aphasia, Adriana Joma

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the understanding of the effects of aphasia couples therapy (ACT) in a person with conduction aphasia. ACT is a social therapeutic approach that involves facilitating conversations between the person with aphasia (PWA) and their spouse, or caregiver. The participants in this study involved one pair. The dependent variables included conveyance of main concepts, use of intentional gestures, reflections and summary statements per conversation. Miscellaneous measures were also counted and analyzed including the PWA’s frequency of paraphasias, fillers (e.g. um, uh), and disfluencies. Baseline sessions involved the PWA watching a video clip, …

The Effectiveness Of Video Modeling In Word-Finding Therapy For Individuals Diagnosed With Aphasia, Hannah Catherine Harris

Student Theses and Dissertations

Aphasia, deficits in language due to neurological damage, can impact receptive and expressive language skills. A common characteristic of aphasia is anomia, or word-finding difficulties. The purpose of this study was to determine if the type of modeling would impact the success of word-finding therapy on individuals diagnosed with aphasia. A quasi-experimental longitudinal alternating treatment single-group design was selected. Speech samples of two participants were collected over a three-month period. Duration of response time and the accuracy of target words were indicators of word-finding abilities. There were significant differences in the rate and accuracy of response for the target words …

Non-Fluent Speech Following Stroke Is Caused By Impaired Efference Copy, Lynda Feenaughty, Alexandra Basilakos, Leonardo Bonilha, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Brielle C. Stark, Julius Fridriksson

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Efference copy is a cognitive mechanism argued to be critical for initiating and monitoring speech: however, the extent to which breakdown of efference copy mechanisms impact speech production is unclear. This study examined the best mechanistic predictors of non-fluent speech among 88 stroke survivors. Objective speech fluency measures were subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA). The primary PCA factor was then entered into a multiple stepwise linear regression analysis as the dependent variable, with a set of independent mechanistic variables. Participants’ ability to mimic audio-visual speech (“speech entrainment response”) was the best independent predictor of non-fluent speech. We suggest …

Vowel Formant Dispersion Reflects Severity Of Apraxia Of Speech, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Elena Galkina, Alexandra Basilakos, Julius Fridriksson

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Apraxia of Speech (AOS) has been associated with deviations in consonantal voice onset time (VOT), but studies of vowel acoustics have yielded conflicting results. However, a speech motor planning disorder that is not bound by phonological categories is expected to affect vowel as well as consonant articulations.

Aims: We measured consonant VOTs and vowel formants produced by a large sample of stroke survivors, and assessed to what extent these variables and their dispersion are predictive of AOS presence and severity, based on a scale that uses clinical observations to rate gradient presence of AOS, aphasia, and dysarthria. …

Motor Learning Guided Treatment For Acquired Apraxia Of Speech, Rachel K. Johnson

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to expand the evidence on the effectiveness of motor learning guided approach for the treatment of acquired apraxia of speech. This study investigated the influence of practice frequency and number of targets per practice set on transfer of speech motor learning.

Method: This is a multiple baseline single-case study across two treatment cycles involving two individuals with chronic acquired apraxia of speech. Treatment Cycle 1 investigated the influence of self-controlled practice on speech motor learning through two conditions of practice. Treatment Cycle 2 investigated the influence of number of targets on transfer of …

Estimating The Impact Of Assessment And Treatment Fidelity On Aphasia Treatment Outcomes, Trisha L. Tanaka

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

Purpose: Calls for treatment and assessment fidelity strongly suggest the need to reduce treatment provider and assessor variance surrounding intervention research. The extent to which these sources of variance influence treatment outcomes in aphasia treatment research has yet to be examined. This simulation study sought to explore the relationships between quality of fidelity methods, sample size, power to detect treatment effects, and aphasia treatment effect sizes.

Methods: Individual participant outcomes collected from previous aphasia treatment research studies were used to simulate 200,000 participant outcomes, from which 8,000 sample treatment trials were simulated. Effect sizes were calculated for treatment outcomes related …

Application Of The Dual-Route Model In Exploring Dyslexia And Dysgraphia In Arabic Speaking Adults With Aphasia: Clinical And Theoretical Implications, Maha Aldera

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Objective: The cognitive neuropsychology is based on the “universality” assumption, which suggest that all normal people have the same cognitive systems regardless of their culture and language (Coltheart, 2001). The aim of the study is to test the universality assumption of the dual-route model (DRM) for spelling and reading in modern Arabic language. The study follow the same architecture of the DRM taking into considerations specific variables that hold certain features of the Arabic script. Methods: The study results were secured by using case series method analysis of each individual participant’s performance. The Case series method offered the ability to …

Right Hemisphere Capacities For Word-Finding: Bilateral Modulation Of Event-Related Potentials In Healthy Adults And Adults With Aphasia, Amanda C. Alton

Dissertations

Language tasks are typically lateralized to the language dominant left hemisphere in healthy right-handed adults. Additionally, lesions in left frontotemporal areas typically result in a variety of language impairments called aphasia. Interestingly, increased activation in right cerebral regions homologous to left side lesions has been observed in patients with aphasia during word-finding tasks. The neural mechanism and the impact on word-finding remain unclear. There are two competing theories concerning compensatory right hemisphere activation. One view is that the right hemisphere plays a supportive role, taking over functions of the damaged left hemisphere. The other perspective is that rightward laterality is …

Comparison Of Structured And Unstructured Discourse Tasks In Persons With Aphasia, Kim C. Mccullough, Dee Lance, Brenda L. Beverly

Brenda L. Beverly Publications

The informativeness of the discourse of persons with aphasia (fluent vs. non-fluent) under structured and conversational tasks was investigated. Ten individuals, five with fluent aphasia and five with non-fluent aphasia, who had suffered a single left hemisphere stroke, participated. Structured and conversational discourse samples were analyzed using the Correct Information Units (CIUs) analysis system. Significant differences between structured and conversational tasks were observed when comparing total number of words and total number of CIUs. Participants with fluent aphasia performed better than those with non-fluent aphasia during the conversational task. No differences were found between the groups for total number of …

Combined Aphasia And Apraxia Of Speech Treatment (Caast): Systematic Replications In The Development Of A Novel Treatment, Julie L. Wambaugh, Sandra Wright, Shannon C. Mauszycki, Christina Nessler, Dallin Bailey

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a modified version of a newly developed therapy for aphasia and acquired apraxia of speech (AOS), Combined Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech Treatment (CAAST).

Method: Four speakers with chronic AOS and aphasia received CAAST in the context of multiple baseline designs. Dependent variables included language measures (i.e. production of correct information units (CIUs)) and speech production measures (i.e. speech intelligibility and percent correct consonants (PCC) in sentence repetition).

Result: Three of the participants demonstrated improved CIU production with treated picture sets and two also demonstrated generalization to untreated …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Aphasia On The Caregiver, Lauren A. Ferrara

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Studies have investigated the physical and emotional wellbeing of family members and spouses who care for persons with stroke (Bakas, et al. 2006). Literature shows burden of care is high in role reversal and depression is frequent. Variables that affect the caregiver burden with persons with aphasia (PWA) have not been identified prior to this study. Results from caregiver interviews found six themes, some which have not been identified prior, such as feelings of optimism.

Caregiver Perspectives: A Phenomenological Study Of Group Education During An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program, Maggie Colstad

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits of a caregiver education, training, and wellness program to improve caregiver outcomes in the context of aphasia rehabilitation. Eight caregivers participated in one-hour group treatment sessions across four weeks as part of an intensive comprehensive aphasia program. Information about stroke and aphasia was provided in a didactic format, and facilitative communication strategies were discussed and practiced using Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning cycle model. This qualitative study adhered to Moustakas’ phenomenological approach. Participant post-treatment interviews were transcribed and coded for themes relating to their experiences throughout the treatment program. Caregivers described …

Revealing The Dual Streams Of Speech Processing, Julius Fridriksson, Grigori Yourganov, Leonardo Bonilha, Alexandra Basilakos, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Several dual route models of human speech processing have been proposed suggesting a large-scale anatomical division between cortical regions that support motor–phonological aspects vs. lexical–semantic aspects of speech processing. However, to date, there is no complete agreement on what areas subserve each route or the nature of interactions across these routes that enables human speech processing. Relying on an extensive behavioral and neuroimaging assessment of a large sample of stroke survivors, we used a data-driven approach using principal components analysis of lesion-symptom mapping to identify brain regions crucial for performance on clusters of behavioral tasks without a priori separation into …

Language-Mixing In Discourse In Bilingual Individuals With Non-Fluent Aphasia, Avanthi Paplikar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Language-mixing (LM) as defined by Chengappa (2009, p. 417) is an “intra-sentential phenomenon referred to as the mixing of various linguistic units (morphemes, words, modifiers, phrases, etc.), primarily from two participating grammatical systems”. LM is influenced by grammatical, environmental, and social constraints (e.g., Milroy & Wei, 1995; Bhat & Chengappa, 2005). Researchers have suggested that LM in patients with aphasia is a communicative strategy used to achieve successful exchanges between speakers; the effectiveness of this mixing, however, had yet to be demonstrated quantitatively.

In the current study we investigated whether LM is present in bilingual speakers with aphasia, and if …

Talking About Aphasia: The Two Voices Of Insight, Elizabeth O'Brien

College Honors Program

This thesis aims to understand the lived experience of communication disorders (CDs), including the challenges, stigmas, and misconceptions related to CDs. It draws upon in-depth interviews with speech-language pathologists (SLPs), participant observations of people with aphasia, and observations of aphasia forum websites. During the data collection process, people talked about the stigmas and hardships of CDs and the subjective experience of having trouble communicating with others. This thesis will use their words and ideas to highlight the important aspects of coping with and treating CDs. It discusses how people with aphasia think about space, their body, and time, and considers …

The Formal Approaches And Multicultural Considerations Of Assessing Aphasia For The Neurogenic Population From The Perspective Of A Monolingual Clinician, Lauren C. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Aphasia is a neurogenic disorder, most commonly caused by stroke, which affects speaking, listening, reading, and/or writing skills. Persons with aphasia are typically left with communication limitations despite unaffected cognition. Many of the standardized assessments available for aphasia examination are not realistic instruments. Formal assessments are time consuming and rarely include multicultural or multilingual materials. The clinician must allow every opportunity for the PWA to demonstrate their communicative abilities during an aphasia assessment. This requires providing stimuli materials relevant to the PWA’s culture, assessing in the PWA’s primary language, and conducting the exam quickly to prevent fatigue. The ECLS-B is …

Exploring Supported Conversation With Familial Caregivers Of Persons With Memory Impairment: A Pilot Study, Arielle Willis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Teaching conversational strategies has been effective for a wide array of clients with acquired neurologic disorders and their caregivers. Research indicates positive results for Supported Conversation in adults with Aphasia (SCA) secondary to stroke. Applying this method to work with caregivers of persons with memory impairment could prove to be a valid intervention tool. This investigation will examine the applicability of SCA with persons with memory impairment and their familial caregivers. This pilot study is intended to create a conversation regarding SCA and its implementation with persons with memory impairment who still live in the community with their caregivers. Analysis …