Effects of PACE Technique in Patients With Aphasia

NCT07521098 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: rec/rcr&ahs/24/0682
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 16
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Aphasia, a communication disorder often resulting from him brain injury such as stroke, impacts an individual's ability to understand or produce language. It can manifest in various forms, such as difficulties with speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension, which severely impair daily functioning and quality of life. For adults with aphasia, regaining communication skills is often a critical aspect of rehabilitation, demanding a combination of therapeutic strategies. The Promoting Aphasics' Communicative Effectiveness (PACE) technique is a widely recognized approach to improve communication in individuals with aphasia. Developed in the late 20th century, the PACE technique focuses on naturalistic communication, encouraging patients to utilize any available communicative means verbal or non-verbal to convey messages effectively. By simulating real-world conversational scenarios in therapy, PACE aims to enhance both expressive and receptive communication skills, thereby facilitating better interaction in social contexts. This approach is especially beneficial for individuals with severe expressive language impairments, as it emphasizes the overall success of communication rather than linguistic accuracy. A descriptive experimental research design was followed in the present study to explore the effect of PACE technique in adults with Aphasia. The study will be conducted at DHQ Faisalabad. The Duration of study is relied on 16 sessions. Three sessions will be conducted per week and the duration of a session is about forty minutes. Sample size (N=16) (Control group =8, Experimental group=8). Patients who were identified with mile to moderate level of Aphasia are age of 45 to 65 years old. Group A will be an experimental group (who will receive both Conventional and Promoting Aphasic Communicative Effectiveness technique). Group B will be a controlled group (who will receive just Conventional Therapy). A randomized Clinical trial will employ to collect data from participants approach at DHQ Faisalabad.

Conditions

Aphasia, Broca

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test

  The Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test (MAST) is a brief and efficient tool designed to assess language abilities in individuals with aphasia, particularly those who have experienced a stroke or brain injury. It is a standardized screening test that evaluates various aspects of language function, including expressive and receptive abilities. The MAST consists of simple tasks such as naming, repetition, following commands, and verbal fluency, allowing clinicians to quickly identify language impairments. It is widely used due to its reliability, ease of administration, and effectiveness in detecting aphasia in both clinical and research setting

  6 to 8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

pace therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

In a clinical trial or intervention study, the number of arms refers to the different groups that receive specific types of treatment or intervention. Each "arm" represents a distinct study condition. Here are common types of arms in PACE (Promoting Aphasics' Communicative Effectiveness) intervention studies: 1\. Experimental Arm (PACE Intervention) Participants receive PACE therapy, which encourages multimodal communication (speech, gestures, writing, drawing, etc.) in a conversational setting. The focus is on functional communication rather than perfect speech production.

Behavioral: experimental

control group conventional therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

2\. Control Arm (Standard Therapy or No Treatment) Participants receive either traditional speech therapy (e.g., structured drills, naming tasks) or no treatment for comparison.

Other: control group conventional therapy

Interventions

experimental BEHAVIORAL

Promoting Aphasics' Communicative Effectiveness (PACE) is a functional approach to aphasia intervention that emphasizes natural, interactive communication between the clinician and the individual with aphasia. Unlike traditional therapy, which often focuses on accuracy, PACE encourages any form of communication-verbal or non-verbal-such as gestures, drawing, writing, or using augmentative devices. The therapy is conducted in a conversational setting, where both participants exchange new information, ensuring the person with aphasia takes an active role in communication. By reducing pressure and promoting alternative communication strategies, PACE enhances confidence, encourages spontaneous language use, and helps individuals regain functional communication skills in real-life situations

pace therapy

control group conventional therapy OTHER

Control Arm (Standard Therapy or No Treatment) Participants receive either traditional speech therapy (e.g., structured drills, naming tasks) or no treatment for comparison.

control group conventional therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 45 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age: Patients from age 45-65 years will be included in the study
• Both gender male and female will be included in the study.
• Diagnosed Adults with aphasia will be included in the study.
• Severity level: Mild to moderate will be included in the study
• Only non-fluent type of Aphasia will be included in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Adult with any co-morbid condition will be excluded from study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

District Headquarter

Faisalābad, Punjab Province, 38000, Pakistan

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Filipska-Blejder K, Zielinska J, Zielinski M, Wisniewski A, Slusarz R. How Does Aphasia Affect Quality of Life? Preliminary Reports. J Clin Med. 2023 Dec 14;12(24):7687. doi: 10.3390/jcm12247687.

  PMID: 38137755 BACKGROUND

• Haakana M, Kurhila S, Lilja N, Savijärvi M. Kuka, mitä, häh? Korjausaloitteet suomalaisessa arkikeskustelussa [Other-initiation of repair in Finnish everyday conversation]. Virittäjä. 2024;120(2)

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aphasia, Broca

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Mehwish Ikhlaque, MS

  Riphah International University, Lahore

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 2, 2026
• First Posted: April 9, 2026
• Study Start: March 18, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 20, 2025
• Study Completion: June 29, 2025
• Last Updated: April 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)