Comparing Traditional Semantic Feature Analysis (tSFA) and Semantic Feature Analysis + Metacognitive Strategy Training (SFA+MST)

NCT07036406 | Recruiting Phase 2

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

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effectiveness of traditional Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) treatment to a modified SFA protocol that includes Metacognitive Strategy Training (SFA+MST) for adults with acquired aphasia. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• What are the comparative outcomes in picture naming accuracy and strategy use during picture naming following 2 months of traditional SFA versus SFA + MST in adults with acquired aphasia?
• What are the comparative outcomes in percent of informative content and rate of informative content during spontaneous speech production following 2 months of traditional SFA versus SFA + MST in adults with acquired aphasia? Researchers will compare outcomes between these two treatments to see if SFA+MST yields larger effects in picture naming and spontaneous speech outcomes than traditional SFA. Participants will complete:
• 5-7 pre-treatment assessment sessions where they will be asked to name pictures, tell stories/describe pictures, answer questions, and complete questionnaires,
• 3 treatment sessions of SFA \*OR\* SFA+MST per week for 8 weeks, for a total of 24 sessions,
• 7 weekly probes (i.e., short, intermittent assessments throughout the treatment phase),
• 3 post-treatment assessment sessions immediately after treatment ends, where they will complete the same assessment tasks as they did pre-treatment (e.g., naming pictures, telling stories, etc.),
• 2 retention assessment sessions, one 30 days and the other 60 days following the final treatment session, where they will be asked to name pictures, tell stories/describe pictures, and describe what they learned during the study.

Conditions

Aphasia; Aphasia Following Cerebral Infarction; Aphasia, Acquired; Aphasia, Rehabilitation; Aphasia, Anomic; Aphasia, Broca; Aphasia, Conduction; Aphasia, Expressive; Aphasia Non Fluent; Aphasia, Mixed

Keywords

Aphasia; Anomia; Stroke; Communication; Language

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Confrontation naming accuracy

  Participants will complete a 60-item confrontation naming assessment before, during, and after treatment. We will calculate the total number of items that participants name accurately across study phases.

  Change from Baseline through study completion, an average of 6 months

• Independent word-finding strategy use

  Using the 60-item confrontation naming assessment, we will evaluate instances in which participants independently use a specific word-finding strategy (describing or talking around the word) in instances where they cannot name items successfully, and calculate the proportions of incorrect responses with and without strategy use across study phases.

  Change from Baseline through study completion, an average of 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Discourse informativeness

  Change from Baseline through study completion, an average of 6 months

• Discourse efficiency

  Change from Baseline through study completion, an average of 6 months

Other Outcomes (1)

• Explicit strategy knowledge

  Change from Baseline through study completion, an average of 6 months

Study Arms (2)

Traditional Semantic Feature Analysis

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

A portion of the study participants will participate in traditional Semantic Feature Analysis treatment, as described in Gravier, M. L., Dickey, M. W., Hula, W. D., Evans, W. S., Owens, R. L., Winans-Mitrik, R. L., \& Doyle, P. J. (2018). What matters in semantic feature analysis: Practice-related predictors of treatment response in aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(1S), 438-453. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017\_AJSLP-16-0196. Briefly, this treatment involves naming pictures of objects, describing the objects' features (e.g., category membership, physical attributes, etc.), and creating sentences using the objects' names.

Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis (traditional)

Semantic Feature Analysis + Metacognitive Strategy Training

EXPERIMENTAL

A portion of the study participants will participate in traditional Semantic Feature Analysis treatment, as described in Tilton-Bolowsky, V. E., Brock, L., Nunn, K., Evans, W. S., \& Vallila-Rohter, S. (2023). Incorporating metacognitive strategy training into semantic treatment promotes restitutive and substitutive gains in naming: A single-subject investigation. American journal of speech-language pathology, 32(5), 1979-2020. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023\_AJSLP-22-00230. Briefly, this treatment involves metacognitive teaching and practice, naming pictures of objects, describing the objects' features (e.g., category membership, physical attributes, etc), creating sentences using the objects' names, debriefing on overall performance, and discussing recent and future opportunities for strategy implementation in real life.

Behavioral: Semantic Feature Analysis + Metacognitive Strategy Training

Interventions

Semantic Feature Analysis (traditional) BEHAVIORAL

This treatment involves naming pictures of objects, describing the objects' features (e.g., category membership, physical attributes, etc.), and creating sentences using the objects' names. It does not include direct metacognitive strategy training.

Traditional Semantic Feature Analysis

Semantic Feature Analysis + Metacognitive Strategy Training BEHAVIORAL

This treatment involves metacognitive teaching and practice, naming pictures of objects, describing the objects' features (e.g., category membership, physical attributes, etc), creating sentences using the objects' names, debriefing on overall performance, and discussing recent and future opportunities for strategy implementation in real life.

Semantic Feature Analysis + Metacognitive Strategy Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 89 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Have aphasia due to a single acute event (e.g., left-hemisphere stroke, traumatic brain injury)
• Be at least six-months post aphasia-onset,
• Be a proficient English speaker,
• Have normal or corrected to normal hearing (i.e., hearing aids) and vision (i.e., eyeglasses),
• Have no history of neurodegenerative disease (e.g., dementia), severe motor speech disorder, significant mental illness, psychiatric disorder, drug/alcohol abuse, or neurological condition that could influence their cognitive, language, and memory systems

You may not qualify if:

• A history of neurodegenerative disease (e.g., dementia), severe motor speech disorder, significant mental illness, psychiatric disorder, drug/alcohol abuse, or neurological condition that could influence their cognitive, language, and memory systems,
• Children under the age of 18,
• Adults over the age of 89,
• Uncorrected hearing and vision.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Teachers College, Columbia University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Teachers College, Columbia University

New York, New York, 10027, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• 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

• Gravier ML, Dickey MW, Hula WD, Evans WS, Owens RL, Winans-Mitrik RL, Doyle PJ. What Matters in Semantic Feature Analysis: Practice-Related Predictors of Treatment Response in Aphasia. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2018 Mar 1;27(1S):438-453. doi: 10.1044/2017_AJSLP-16-0196.

  PMID: 29497754 BACKGROUND

• Tilton-Bolowsky VE, Brock L, Nunn K, Evans WS, Vallila-Rohter S. Incorporating Metacognitive Strategy Training Into Semantic Treatment Promotes Restitutive and Substitutive Gains in Naming: A Single-Subject Investigation. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023 Sep 11;32(5):1979-2020. doi: 10.1044/2023_AJSLP-22-00230. Epub 2023 Jul 11.

  PMID: 37433115 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aphasia; Anomia; Aphasia, Broca; Aphasia, Conduction; Stroke; Communication; Language

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Central Study Contacts

Victoria Tilton-Bolowsky, Ph.D. CCC-SLP

CONTACT

212-678-8302; veb2119@tc.columbia.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Ph.D. CCC-SLP

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 9, 2025
• First Posted: June 25, 2025
• Study Start: July 28, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2027
• Last Updated: August 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Locations

US (1)