The Effects of Using Video-Clip Stimuli in Response Elaboration Training in Persian Speakers with Chronic Broca’s Aphasia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background The use of pictographic images to elicit spoken language productions is common in aphasia therapy. However, investigations on the treatment effects of using video stimuli are limited. People with aphasia are likely to want to be able to communicate better about content depicted in video-clip segments, especially with the growing popularity of video sharing between friends and family on social media. Aims The aim of this study was to examine the effects of utilising video-clip segments in the provision of Response Elaboration Training (RET; Kearns, 1985) in the Persian language. Specifically, the study addressed four questions: (1) Will the provision of RET with video-clips as the treatment stimuli increase the number of correct information units (CIUs; Nicholas and Brookshire, 1993) Persian speakers with aphasia produce in response to trained stimuli? (2) Will there be an increase in the number of CIUs participants produce in response to untrained stimuli? (3) Will treatment gains be maintained over time? (4) Will the participants exhibit improved scores on the Persian Western Aphasia Battery (Nilipour et al., 2014) from pre- to posttreatment? Methods & Procedures Two participants with moderately severe chronic Broca’s aphasia due to a left-hemisphere stroke received treatment three times a week. A single-case multiple-probe design consisting of two consecutive treatment phases, periodic generalisation probes, and three posttreatment follow-up probes (one-week, three-weeks, and six-weeks) was used. Treatment sessions consisted of two rounds of RET applied to 10 video-clip stimuli. Outcomes & Results Participant 1 reached the treatment termination criteria after six therapy sessions in the first phase of treatment and after seven treatment sessions in the second phase. Participant 2 reached the termination criteria for the first and second treatment phases after 12 and eight treatment sessions, respectively. Large positive treatment effects were found for the participants for trained items. Treatment effects were maintained above baseline performance for trained items on all follow-up measures. Generalisation to untrained items was limited. Both participants exhibited an Aphasia Quotient increase posttreatment on the Persian Western Aphasia Battery, with the largest improvement identified on the spontaneous speech subtest. Conclusion Although preliminary, this study provides support for the use of video stimuli in the provision of RET in the Persian language to individuals with chronic Broca’s aphasia. The study encourages further exploration on the topic and discusses clinical implications of the research.