title: Evaluation of attention training and metacognitive facilitation to improve reading comprehension in aphasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study investigated the impact of direct attention training combined with metacognitive facilitation on reading comprehension in individuals with aphasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-subject, multiple baseline design was employed across 4 participants to evaluate potential changes in reading comprehension resulting from an 8-week intervention using Attention Process Training-3 (APT-3). The primary outcome measure was a maze reading task. Pre- and posttesting included attention and reading comprehension measures. Visual inspection of graphed performance data across conditions was used as the primary method of analysis. Treatment effect sizes were calculated for changes in reading comprehension probes from baseline to maintenance phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two of the study's 4 participants demonstrated improvements in maze reading, with corresponding effect sizes that were small in magnitude according to benchmarks for aphasia treatment research. All 4 participants made improvements on select standardized measures of attention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions that include a metacognitive component with direct attention training may elicit improvements in participants' attention and allocation of resources. Maze passage reading is a repeated measure that appears sensitive to treatment-related changes in reading comprehension. Issues for future research related to measurement, candidacy, and clinical delivery are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA. jlee6@uoregon.edu
authors.forename: Jaime B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: McKay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moore Sohlberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001037:Aphasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007808:Language Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011932:Reading; D013812:Therapeutics
keywords: aphasia; attention; reading; resource allocation