Novel technology for treating individuals with aphasia and concomitant cognitive deficits.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes three individuals with aphasia and concomitant cognitive deficits who used state-of-theart computer software for training conversational scripts.


METHODS
Participants were assessed before and after 9 weeks of a computer script training program. For each participant, three individualized scripts were developed, recorded on the software, and practiced sequentially at home. Weekly meetings with the speech-language pathologist occurred to monitor practice and assess progress. Baseline and posttreatment scripts were audiotaped, transcribed, and compared to the target scripts for content, grammatical productivity, and rate of production of script-related words. Interviews were conducted at the conclusion of treatment.


RESULTS
There was great variability in improvements across scripts, with two participants improving on two of their three scripts in measures of content, grammatical productivity, and rate of production of scriptrelated words. One participant gained more than 5 points on the Aphasia Quotient of the Western Aphasia Battery. Five positive themes were consistently identified from exit interviews: increased verbal communication, improvements in other modalities and situations, communication changes noticed by others, increased confidence, and satisfaction with the software.


CONCLUSIONS
Computer-based script training potentially may be an effective intervention for persons with chronic aphasia and concomitant cognitive deficits.
Cherney
Leora R
LR
Aphasia Research and Treatment, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Halper
Anita S
AS
D000368:Aged; D001039:Aphasia, Broca / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001041:Aphasia, Wernicke / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D012984:Software; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface