ECoLoGiC Speech Therapy for Everyday Communication in Aphasia

Study Summary

The primary goal of this clinical trial study is to evaluate the effect of a new therapy to improve talking in people with the language disability 'aphasia' after a stroke. The therapy is called: 'Expanding Communication and Language Generated in Conversation Treatment' (ECoLoGiC Treatment), and helps improve language skills for talking to other people in conversation. The second goal is to develop training materials to teach families of people with aphasia about the therapy and how to practice at home. This part of the study will be completed with help from two people with aphasia and a family member who have completed the program. The study asks: 1. How do people with aphasia improve their language skills following this therapy? Results will be determined by using tests of language and by testing language in conversation and other types of talking tasks, like describing a picture. 2. After completing the family training, do family members use the ideas they learned when talking to the person with aphasia? And, what do family members and people with aphasia think of the family training? The first question will be answered with a checklist to see if the family members followed the ideas they learned. The second question will be answered by talking with the people with aphasia and the family members to find out what they thought. The people with aphasia will complete language testing before and after therapy, and 6 weeks later (to see if improvements are maintained). Therapy is twice a week for one hour, for 10 weeks with a speech-language pathologist. During therapy, the person will have casual conversations with the speech-language pathologist, who will help the person communicate by giving small amounts of help at a time. The speech-language pathologist will tell the person what they are doing that does and does not help with communication. This process helps the person use more language and learn how to communicate better. The family members will have training

Primary Outcome

Change on the 100-point Aphasia Quotient score indicating severity of speaking and auditory comprehension skills in aphasia between Post-Treatment and Pre-Treatment; and 6-Week Maintenance and Pre-Treatment. Lower scores indicate greater severity of aphasia. Score change which indicates the criterion for change varies based on the participant's Pre-Treatment Aphasia Quotient score.

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Expanding Communication and Language Generated in Conversation Treatment