title: Improved word comprehension in Global aphasia using a modified semantic feature analysis treatment.
abstract: Limited research has investigated treatment of single word comprehension in people with aphasia, despite numerous studies examining treatment of naming deficits. This study employed a single case experimental design to examine efficacy of a modified semantic feature analysis (SFA) therapy in improving word comprehension in an individual with Global aphasia, who presented with a semantically based comprehension impairment. Ten treatment sessions were conducted over a period of two weeks. Following therapy, the participant demonstrated improved comprehension of treatment items and generalisation to control items, measured by performance on a spoken word picture matching task. Improvements were also observed on other language assessments (e.g. subtests of WAB-R; PALPA subtest 47) and were largely maintained over a period of 12 weeks without further therapy. This study provides support for the efficacy of a modified SFA therapy in remediating single word comprehension in individuals with aphasia with a semantically based comprehension deficit.
authors.affiliation: a Discipline of Speech Pathology, James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.
authors.forename: Philippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.affiliation: a Discipline of Speech Pathology, James Cook University , Townsville , Australia.|b Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University , Gold Coast , Australia.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siyambalapitiya
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000628:therapy*; D032882:Comprehension; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012660:Semantics; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications
keywords: Aphasia treatment; Global aphasia; auditory comprehension; semantic feature analysis; treatment intensity