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Action 5: Speech and Language Therapy

Coordinator

This action was coordinated by Associate Prof. I. Papathanasiou from the Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Technological Educational Institute of Patras.

Aims

This action aimed to investigate the effectiveness of speech and language therapy at the word and sentence levels, and the relative impact of each therapy approach on quality of life outcomes.

Method

Materials: All participants followed a 12-week speech and language therapy program, comprising of 36 hours of therapy primarily picture-based at the word and sentence
levels. The assignment to one of two different therapy types (word level vs. sentence level) was based on participants’ deficits on the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (Boston Naming Test and Cookie Theft). The primary outcome measure for the word level therapy was a confrontation-naming task of the 260 pictures and for the sentence level therapy the description of a composite picture and story sequencing. Secondary outcome measures included a range of assessments tapping on all WHO ICF levels.
Participants: Therapy was provided to 50 PWA, 37 had word level and 13 sentence level therapy.

Analysis

Descriptive statistics was used to summarize data. Individual participants’ quantitative data from the different assessment points was compared to explore change in each participant’s language, social participation and quality of life (repeated measures ANOVA). Between (group: individual vs. combination) and within subjects (time) analysis (mixed ANOVA) was used to determine the effectiveness of different ways of delivering therapy across time.