Semantic Feature Analysis Treatment for Aphasia

NCT04215952 | Active Not Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: PRO00003086
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled comparative effectiveness study examines manipulation of a key component of an established and efficacious treatment for naming impairments in aphasia, along with cognitive and brain correlates of treatment success. Study participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions comparing two different versions of Semantic Feature Analysis treatment. Their performance on standardized and study-specific measures will be used to determine which version of the treatment provides superior outcomes, and measures of automatic language processing and functional brain imaging will also be used to identify the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms associated with positive treatment response.

Conditions

Aphasia

Keywords

Anomia; Semantic Feature Analysis

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Confrontation Naming

  Change in naming accuracy on 30 treated pictured object nouns and 30 untreated pictured object nouns semantically related to the treated items.

  (1) 1 week prior to intervention; (2) immediately prior to intervention; (3) 1-2 days post intervention (4) 8 to 12 weeks post intervention

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Nicholas and Brookshire Picture Descriptions

  (1) 1 week prior to intervention; (2) immediately prior to intervention; (3) 1-2 days post intervention (4) 8 to 12 weeks post intervention

• Aphasia Communication Outcome Measure (ACOM)

  (1) 1 week prior to intervention; (2) immediately prior to intervention; (3) 1-2 days post intervention (4) 8 to 12 weeks post intervention

• Visual World Paradigm

  (1) 1 week prior to intervention; (2) immediately prior to intervention; (3) 1-2 days post intervention (4) 8 to 12 weeks post intervention

• Functional MRI

  (1) 1 week prior to intervention; (2) immediately prior to intervention; (3) 1-2 days post intervention (4) 8 to 12 weeks post intervention

• Comprehensive Aphasia Test

  (1) 1 week prior to intervention; (2) immediately prior to intervention; (3) 1-2 days post intervention (4) 8 to 12 weeks post intervention

Study Arms (2)

SFA Experimental Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

A modified version of Semantic Feature Analysis will be administered.

Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis Treatment

SFA Active Comparator Intervention

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

A standard version of Semantic Feature Analysis will be administered.

Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis Treatment

Interventions

Semantic Feature Analysis Treatment BEHAVIORAL

On each treatment trial, the clinician will show the participant with aphasia a pictured object and ask them to name it. The clinician will then guide the participant in verbally generating semantic features for the target, using a chart that specifies five kinds of features: group, use/action, properties, location, and personal associations. When the participant cannot generate a given feature, cueing or other assistance will be provided. After feature generation, the clinician will ask the participant to name the picture again and provide cueing if needed. The clinician will then review the generated features and ask the participant to name the item once more, with cueing if needed. Finally, the clinician will ask the participant to say a sentence containing the target word and provide cueing if needed. Treatment will then proceed to the next item. Participants will receive approximately 20 hours of treatment on each of three 10-item lists, for a total of 60 hours of treatment.

Also known as: Semantically Oriented Naming Treatment

SFA Active Comparator Intervention; SFA Experimental Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• months post-onset of aphasia due to unilateral left-hemisphere (LH) stroke
• Independent in activities of daily living (ADLs) necessary to live in community-based housing or available caregiver to assist with ADLs
• Medically stable and able to tolerate intensive treatment schedule (e.g. no uncontrolled seizures, difficulty breathing, frequent migraines)
• English as a first language
• No participation in any other speech-language treatment during this study, including follow-up period
• Sufficient auditory comprehension abilities demonstrated during screening
• Sufficient naming impairment exhibited during screening

You may not qualify if:

• Right Hemisphere stroke
• Neurological disease other than stroke
• Significant psychiatric disorder
• Severe motor speech disorder
• Active substance dependence

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System: lead
• Penn State University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15240, United States

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Nicholas LE, Brookshire RH. A system for quantifying the informativeness and efficiency of the connected speech of adults with aphasia. J Speech Hear Res. 1993 Apr;36(2):338-50. doi: 10.1044/jshr.3602.338.

  PMID: 8487525 BACKGROUND

• Brookshire RH, Nicholas LE. Speech sample size and test-retest stability of connected speech measures for adults with aphasia. J Speech Hear Res. 1994 Apr;37(2):399-407. doi: 10.1044/jshr.3702.399.

  PMID: 8028321 BACKGROUND

• Fergadiotis G, Kellough S, Hula WD. Item Response Theory Modeling of the Philadelphia Naming Test. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2015 Jun 1;58(3):865-877. doi: 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-14-0249.

  PMID: 25813461 BACKGROUND

• Hula WD, Doyle PJ, Stone CA, Austermann Hula SN, Kellough S, Wambaugh JL, Ross KB, Schumacher JG, St Jacque A. The Aphasia Communication Outcome Measure (ACOM): Dimensionality, Item Bank Calibration, and Initial Validation. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2015 Jun;58(3):906-19. doi: 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-14-0235.

  PMID: 25812178 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aphasia; Anomia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Speech Disorders; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• William D Hula, Ph.D.

  VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Patrick J Doyle, Ph.D.

  VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Administration and scoring of all primary and secondary outcome measures will be carried out by a speech pathologist on study staff who (1) is not the treating clinician for the participant being assessed, and (2) is blind to the group assignment of the participant being assessed. Because SFA is a behavioral intervention, it will not be possible to blind the treating clinician to group assignment. It will also be impossible to definitively blind participants to their group assignment. However, we will not formally disclose to participants the group to which they have been assigned, and in the informed consent process, we will describe the conditions only in relative terms.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Study participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 20, 2019
• First Posted: January 2, 2020
• Study Start: February 24, 2020
• Primary Completion: August 30, 2025
• Study Completion: August 30, 2025
• Last Updated: June 26, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)