Efficacy of Language Games as Therapy for Post Stroke Aphasia

NCT02458222 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: RG_14-300
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Aphasia is a language impairment experienced by about one third of stroke patients. This often devastating condition is treated by speech and language therapists (SLTs). There is evidence that language games delivered at the right intensity are an efficacious means of improving communication for people with post stroke aphasia. However, it is unclear which mechanism of language facilitation used in a game works best. This study will provide evidence for the "active ingredient" of a game, together with measures of efficacy, feasibility and enjoyment compared to standard aphasia therapy.

Conditions

Stroke; Aphasia

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Comprehensive Aphasia Test (Swinburn et al 2004)

  Measures of language performance taken as designated in the various sub-tests, and comparisons of improvement in those measures after game therapy and after standard therapy. These will measure the general efficacy of the intervention.

  Assessment carried out prior to commencement of language game therapy, and immediately after language game therapy, 10 week interval. Assessment also carried out prior to and immediately after standard therapy, approx 12 week interval.

• Communication Outcomes After Stroke Scale (Long et al, 2008)

  Measures of participants' subjective views of communicative abilities taken as designated by the test, and comparisons of improvement in those measures after game therapy and after standard therapy. These will measure the impact of therapy on general functional communication.

  Assessment carried out prior to commencement of language game therapy, and immediately after language game therapy, 10 week interval. Assessment also carried out prior to and immediately after standard therapy, approx 12 week interval.

• Picture naming of words targeted in game therapy

  Confrontational picture naming of 180 words targeted in game therapy- points awarded for correct naming, and comparisons of improvement in those measures after game therapy and after standard therapy. These will measure therapy effects for the items that are specifically treated based on single word production.

  Assessment carried out prior to commencement of language game therapy, and immediately after language game therapy, 10 week interval. Assessment also carried out prior to and immediately after standard therapy, approx 12 week interval.

• Picture description of words targeted in game therapy

  Measures of improvement in connected speech using method from Comprehensive Aphasia Test. Comparison of improvement following game therapy and following standard therapy. These will measure the ability of participants to use targeted words, but in a functional communication context -- i.e. producing phrases and sentences to describe a scene.

  Assessment carried out prior to commencement of language game therapy, and immediately after language game therapy, 10 week interval. Assessment also carried out prior to and immediately after standard therapy, approx 12 week interval.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Picture naming of words targeted in game therapy to ascertain effects of different facilitatory techniques - multiple baseline measure

  Assessment carried out immediately after game 1 and game 2, at 4 weeks and 7 weeks.

• Picture description of words targeted in game therapy to ascertain effects of different facilitatory techniques - multiple baseline measure

  Assessment carried out immediately after game 1 and game 2, at 4 weeks and 7 weeks.

Study Arms (2)

game therapy then standard therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

participants will take part in language game therapy followed by standard aphasia therapy

Other: language game therapy; Other: standard therapy

standard therapy then game therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

participants will have standard aphasia therapy first then will take part in language game therapy

Other: language game therapy; Other: standard therapy

Interventions

language game therapy OTHER

participants will take part in game therapy

game therapy then standard therapy; standard therapy then game therapy

standard therapy OTHER

usual clinical care

game therapy then standard therapy; standard therapy then game therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults who have suffered a stroke a minimum of 2 months prior to commencement of the intervention. They will present with expressive aphasia, with relatively preserved language comprehension. They will have been fully fluent in English before the stroke.

You may not qualify if:

• Severe perceptual or cognitive deficits. History of other neurological, psychiatric or neurodegenerative disease impairing language or communicative ability. Severe visual agnosia. Severe limb apraxia. Severe dysarthria. Drug or alcohol abuse.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Birmingham: lead

Study Sites (1)

Moor Green Out-Patient Brain Injury Service

Birmingham, West Midlands, B13 8JL, United Kingdom

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stroke; Aphasia

Interventions

Standard of Care

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Speech Disorders; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Quality Indicators, Health Care; Quality of Health Care; Health Services Administration; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation

Study Officials

• Sean Jennings, PhD

  University of Birmingham

  STUDY CHAIR

Central Study Contacts

Andrew Olson, PhD

CONTACT

+44 121 414 3328; olsonac@bham.ac.uk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 1, 2015
• First Posted: June 1, 2015
• Study Start: August 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2025
• Study Completion: April 1, 2025
• Last Updated: March 3, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-03

Locations

GB (1)