Confrontation Naming Task Research Articles

Significance of speech production errors on cross-linguistic processing in Sepedi-English individuals with bilingual aphasia: a case series analysis

ABSTRACTBackground: Bilingual aphasia forms a significant part of speech-language pathologists’ (SLP) caseload, globally, and specifically in South Africa. Few tools supporting clinical decision-making are available due to limited understanding of typical and disordered cross-linguistic processing (how the languages interact). Speech errors may provide insight about “hidden” bilingual mechanisms.Objectives: To determine what speech errors can impart about cross-linguistic processing, as well as, associated language and impairment variables in Sepedi-English individuals with aphasia.Method: The case series included six participants, purposively selected from three rehabilitation sites in South Africa. Detailed language and clinical profiles were obtained. Participants performed a confrontation naming task in their most dominant (MDL) and less dominant language (LDL). Responses were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for overall accuracy and error type in MDL and LDL; verified by a Sepedi-speaking linguist and a qualified SLP.Results: (1) No statistically significant differences in MDL-LDL naming accuracy were found, supporting recent literature of simultaneous inter-activation of both languages and shared word retrieval mechanisms. All types of speech errors occurred, and semantic errors were produced most frequently and consistently in each participant’s MDL and LDL. (2) Language proficiency, language recovery patterns, and aphasia type (Broca’s and Anomic) and severity (mild and/or moderate) appeared to be more strongly linked to cross-linguistic processing than Sepedi-English linguistic differences and age of acquisition of both languages.Conclusions: Participants with bilingual aphasia may use typical cross-linguistic and word retrieval mechanisms, concurring with current theories of bilingualism. Findings are preliminary, warranting investigations of other language tasks, modalities, pairs, and related variables.

Classification of Semantic Paraphasias: Optimization of a Word Embedding Model.

In clinical assessment of people with aphasia, impairment in the ability to recall and produce words for objects (anomia) is assessed using a confrontation naming task, where a target stimulus is viewed and a corresponding label is spoken by the participant. Vector space word embedding models have had inital results in assessing semantic similarity of target-production pairs in order to automate scoring of this task; however, the resulting models are also highly dependent upon training parameters. To select an optimal family of models, we fit a beta regression model to the distribution of performance metrics on a set of 2,880 grid search models and evaluate the resultant first- and second-order effects to explore how parameterization affects model performance. Comparing to SimLex-999, we show that clinical data can be used in an evaluation task with comparable optimal parameter settings as standard NLP evaluation datasets.

Indexing effects of phonological representational strength on rapid naming using rime neighborhood density

AbstractA long-standing hypothesis is that rapid automatized naming (RAN) measures access to phonological representations stored in long-term memory, but this has been difficult to test experimentally because phonological representations are mental constructs not easily operationalized. Here, we provide a method to test this theory using rime neighborhood density as an index of phonological representational strength. Thirty adults completed four picture-naming tasks orthogonalized for item composition (repeating vs. nonrepeating) and presentation format (discrete vs. serial). Each task was presented in two dichotomous conditions of rime neighborhood density (dense and sparse). There was no effect of rime neighborhood density on naming speed in the discrete nonrepeated (confrontation naming) task. However, rime neighborhood density significantly facilitated naming speed for serial repeated (i.e., RAN), discrete repeated, and serial nonrepeated tasks (ps<.03). The effect was weakest for confrontation naming (d=0.14) and strongest for both discrete and serial RAN tasks (ds=1.01), suggesting that repeating items, not serial presentation, makes RAN uniquely sensitive to manipulations of rime neighborhood density and, by proxy, phonological representations.

Interpretation of compound words by Greek-speaking children with autism spectrum disorder plus language impairment (ASD–LI)

ABSTRACT The language abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are highly variable. More insight is needed into the mechanisms that underlie co-morbid language impairments (LI) in children with ASD (henceforth, ASD–LI) across complex lexical and/or grammatical phenomena, particularly for languages beyond English. The present study tested the comprehension and production of two-constituent compound words at the single-word level for Greek (e.g., pondikopayiδa ‘mouse trap’). The Compound Word Test, measured on a range of psycholinguistic variables, was used to assess the (compound) constitutent recognition, comprehension/definition, and production of compositional noun–noun compounds in four school-aged children diagnosed with ASD–LI. Their results were compared to age-matched peers with typical language development as a group and as single cases. Comprehension was probed in relation to the word’s constituents, for which semantic interpretation involved explaining the meaning of the compound. Production of compound words was tested using a picture confrontation naming task. The results revealed that the four children with ASD–LI who participated had less difficulty recognizing the compound constituents but showed a significant deficit in deriving the compound meaning. Naming compounds was exceptionally difficult despite generally intact comprehension of the object pictures. This leads us to suggest a dissociation between linguistic and conceptual knowledge about the constituents and the compound word. Moreover, the children with ASD–LI produced semantically infelicitous responses when explaining the meaning of compounds, an error not evident in their typically developing peers. Generalizing over the four single clinical cases, we hypothesize that children with ASD–LI have difficulties at the interface of (morpho)syntax with semantics and pragmatics, that is, at the conceptual-intentional system.

Conceptual Scoring and Classification Accuracy of Vocabulary Testing in Bilingual Children.

This study examined the effects of single-language and conceptual scoring on the vocabulary performance of bilingual children with and without specific language impairment. We assessed classification accuracy across 3 scoring methods. Participants included Spanish-English bilingual children (N = 247) aged 5;1 (years;months) to 11;1 with and without specific language impairment. Children completed the English and bilingual versions of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (Brownell, 2000a, 2001). Six scores, 2 representing monolingual scores in English and Spanish and 4 conceptual scores, were derived. The conceptual scores included within-test conceptual scores, which credited language responses in the other language during test administration, and across-test conceptual scores, which we compiled by examining responses across independent administrations of the test in each language. Across-test conceptual scoring resulted in the highest scores and better overall classification, sensitivity, and specificity than within-test conceptual scoring. Both were superior to monolingual scoring; however, none of the methods achieved minimum standards of 80% accuracy in sensitivity and specificity. Results suggest that bilingual children are not always able to readily access their other language in confrontation naming tasks. Priming or inhibition may play a role in test performance. Across-test conceptual scoring yielded the highest classification accuracy but did not meet minimum standards.

A new set of tasks for the assessment of lexical disorders in Italian

A new set of tasks for the assessment of lexical disorders in Italian

Influence of Linguistic and Nonlinguistic Variables on Generalization and Maintenance Following Phonomotor Treatment for Aphasia.

Although phonomotor treatment shows promise as an effective intervention for anomia in people with aphasia, responses to this treatment are not consistent across individuals. To better understand this variability, we examined the influence of 5 participant characteristics-age, time postonset, aphasia severity, naming impairment, and error profile-on generalization and maintenance of confrontation naming and discourse abilities following phonomotor treatment. Using retrospective data from 26 participants with aphasia who completed a 6-week phonomotor treatment program, we examined the relationships between participant characteristics of interest and change scores on confrontation naming and discourse tasks, measured pretreatment, immediately following treatment, and 3 months following treatment. Although the participant characteristics of aphasia severity and error profile appeared to predict generalization to improved confrontation naming of untrained items and discourse performance, a post hoc analysis revealed that no one characteristic predicted generalization across participants at 3 months posttreatment. Response to phonomotor treatment does not appear to be influenced by aphasia and anomia severity level, error profile, participant age, or time postonset. Other factors, however, may influence response to intensive aphasia treatment and are worthy of continued exploration.

Time-Frequency Analysis of Mu Rhythm Activity during Picture and Video Action Naming Tasks.

This study used whole-head 64 channel electroencephalography to measure changes in sensorimotor activity—as indexed by the mu rhythm—in neurologically-healthy adults, during subvocal confrontation naming tasks. Independent component analyses revealed sensorimotor mu component clusters in the right and left hemispheres. Event related spectral perturbation analyses indicated significantly stronger patterns of mu rhythm activity (pFDR < 0.05) during the video condition as compared to the picture condition, specifically in the left hemisphere. Mu activity is hypothesized to reflect typical patterns of sensorimotor activation during action verb naming tasks. These results support further investigation into sensorimotor cortical activity during action verb naming in clinical populations.

Correlates of recognition memory performance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Determining whether the etiology of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) is Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is challenging. Recognition memory (RM) performance could be helpful in identifying individuals with cognitive patterns indicative of underlying AD. In order to better identify such patterns, we examined RM discriminability in aMCI and its associations with nonmemory cognitive domains impaired in AD.Methods: Participants were 97 individuals diagnosed with aMCI (Mage = 74.48 years) who underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Zero-order correlations and hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between discriminability on the HVLT-R and specific tasks within the domains of executive function (EF) and language, controlling for age and education. Logistic regression was conducted to determine whether performance on individual tasks was predictive of group membership defined as impaired or unimpaired on RM performance.Results: While 100% of the aMCI group showed impaired delayed recall on a word list, we found that 69% were impaired on RM discriminability, while 31% were not. Discriminability impairment groups did not differ on demographics or global cognition. For the entire aMCI group, performance in the language domain and, specifically, on a confrontation naming task significantly predicted RM discriminability. Confrontation naming was predictive of RM impairment group membership.Conclusions: Our results demonstrate individuals with aMCI are heterogeneous and show variability in RM discriminability. RM performance was associated with measures of language, elucidating patterns of cognition potentially marking those more likely to progress to AD. Future studies need to address this finding in a longitudinal sample.

The influence of mindfulness meditation on communication and anxiety: A case study of a person with aphasia

ABSTRACTBackground: Anxiety goes largely undetected and undiagnosed in the aphasia population. Mindfulness programmes have been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety in populations with chronic disorders. These interventions have also shown effects on cognitive functioning including attention, executive function and working memory.Aims: To identify the impact of reduced anxiety using mindfulness meditation in a person with aphasia.Methods & Procedures: A 4-week one-on-one mindfulness programme was implemented with a participant who has post-stroke non-fluent aphasia. She completed three intervals of testing; one prior to intervention and two following the mindfulness intervention.Outcomes & Results: There was a clinical correlation between the mindfulness programme, a reduction in anxiety levels and improved language scores in this participant. The score on the Beck Anxiety Inventory reduced from a moderate level to a minimal score. Scores of confrontation naming, picture description and repetition improved, but no effect was seen in verbal fluency scores.Conclusion: Some aspect of a mindfulness programme appears to be effective in reducing anxiety scores in a person with aphasia, and improved language changes were evident in confrontation naming tasks. However, it is unclear exactly what the relationship is between the mindfulness intervention programme, reduced anxiety and improved language scores.

Lexical-semantic deficits in processing food and non-food items

The study of category specific deficits in brain-damaged patients has been instrumental in explaining how knowledge about different types of objects is organized in the brain. Much of this research focused on testing putative semantic sensory/functional subsystems that could explain the observed dissociations in performance between living things (e.g., animals and fruits/vegetables) and non-living things (e.g., tools). As neuropsychological patterns that did not fit the original living/non-living distinction were observed, an alternative organization of semantic memory in domains constrained by evolutionary pressure was hypothesized. However, the category of food, that contains both living-natural items, such as an apple, and nonliving-manufactured items as in the case of a hamburger, has never been systematically investigated. As such, food category could turn out to be very useful to test whether the brain organizes the knowledge about food in sensory/functional subsystems, in a specific domain, or whether both approaches might need to be integrated. In the present study we tested the ability of patients with Alzheimer dementia (AD) and with Primary Progressive Aphasias (PPA) as well as healthy controls to perform a confrontation naming task, a categorization task, and a comprehension of edible (natural and manufactured food) and non edible items (tools and non-edible natural things) task (Tasks 1–3). The same photographs of natural and manufactured food were presented together with a description of food’s sensory or functional property that could be either congruent or incongruent with that particular food (Task 4). Patients were overall less accurate than healthy individuals, and PPA patients were generally more impaired than AD patients, especially on the naming task. Food tended to be processed better than non-food in two out of three tasks (categorization and comprehension tasks). Patient groups showed no difference in naming food and non-food items, while controls were more accurate with non-food than food (controlling for the linguistic variables and calorie content). AD patients named manufactured food more accurately than natural food (with PPA and controls showing no difference). Recognition of food and, to some extent, of manufactured food seems to be more resilient to brain damage, possibly by virtue of its survival relevance. Furthermore, on Task 4 patients showed an advantage for the sensory-natural pairs over sensory-manufactured combination. Overall, findings do not fit an existing model of semantic memory and suggest that properties intrinsic to the food items (such as the level of transformation and the calorie content) or even to the participants like the Body Mass Index (as shown in another study reviewed here) should be considered.

Discrepancies between bilinguals’ performance on the Spanish and English versions of the WAIS Digit Span task: Cross-cultural implications

ABSTRACTThis study explored within-subjects differences in the performance of 40 bilingual participants on the English and Spanish versions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Digit Span task. To test the linguistic hypothesis that individuals would perform worse in Spanish because of its syllabic demand, we compared the number of syllables correctly recalled by each participant for every correct trial. Our analysis of the correct number of syllables remembered per trial showed that participants performed significantly better (i.e., recalling more syllables) in Spanish than in English on the total score. Findings suggest the Spanish version of the Digit Span (total score) was significantly more difficult than the English version utilizing traditional scoring methods. Moreover, the Forward Trial, rather than the Backward Trial, was more likely to show group differences between both language versions. Additionally, the Spanish trials of the Digit Span were correlated with language comprehension and verbal episodic memory measures, whereas the English trials of the Digit Span were correlated with confrontational naming and verbal fluency tasks. The results suggest that more research is necessary to further investigate other cognitive factors, rather than just syllabic demand, that might contribute to performance and outcome differences on the WAIS Digit Span in Spanish-English bilinguals.

Cued and Un-Cued Semantic Category Fluency in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background and PurposePatients with switching deficits reportedly benefit more from categorical cueing for semantic category fluency than do patients with clustering deficits. We explored the contribution of language ability and executive control on the performance of semantic category fluency in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by examining the effects of categorical cueing on the task.MethodsOrder adults with MCI (n=10) and normal controls (n=25) were compared on two versions of a semantic fluency task: a standard, un-cued version (SF) and a version in which subjects were cued (C-SF) with 4 subordinated categories. The scores and error types of SF and C-SF tasks were analyzed between two groups. Also, the correlation among the SF task, the C-SF task, and the confrontation naming task were examined.ResultsThe performance of the sematic fluency task improved when categorical cues were included in both groups. However, the normal group showed significantly more improvement than the MCI group. Self-repetition errors in the SF task and categorical errors in the C-SF task occurred most frequently. The normal group showed significantly more errors than the MCI group in the C-SF task. There was a positive correlation among the SF task, the C-SF task, and the confrontation naming task.ConclusionsThe results of the present study suggested that the MCI group has more difficulty in the semantic memory store rather than in the use of retrieval strategies. A combination of standard and cued semantic fluency tasks may help to confirm the underlying deficit of semantic fluency impairment.

Lexicon before and after epilepsy surgery in adolescents.

Poor performance on confrontation naming tasks by children and adolescents with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy has been interpreted as indicating impairments of lexicon, that is, the store of words in long-term memory. However, confrontation naming performance crucially depends not only on word knowledge but also on other functions such as fluency. We applied an alternative method to assess lexicon with the aim of tracing deficits in lexicon before and after surgery in adolescents with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy. Sixteen patients and 32 age- and sex-matched controls completed the Dutch version of the controlled oral word production task. Responses were used to calculate indices of lexical fluency (retrieval efficiency), lexical breadth (vocabulary size), and lexical depth (knowledge of word properties), as well as use of search strategies. Adolescents with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy had lower lexical fluency scores than healthy peers, but did not differ from them on the dimensions of lexical breadth and lexical depth. Patients demonstrated reduced use of search strategies. In fact, the difference in lexical fluency between patients and controls disappeared after controlling for Full Scale IQ (obtained using the Dutch version of the 3rd edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IIINL; Kort et al., 2005; Wechsler, 2002) or-for older children-the Dutch version of the first edition of the Kaufman Adult and Adolescent Intelligence Test (KAIT; Kaufman & Kaufman, 1993; Mulder, Dekker, & Dekker, 2004) and use of search strategies. In patients, changes in the use of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine were associated with lexical fluency. Adolescents with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy differ from their healthy peers mainly in lexical fluency, rather than word knowledge per se. (PsycINFO Database Record

Comparing multi-modality and constraint-induced treatment for aphasia: a preliminary investigation of generalisation to discourse

Background: At present, there is no consensus regarding the comparative efficacy of constraint and non-constraint treatments. Moreover, studies to date have measured the effects of treatment using single-word confrontation naming tasks and omnibus aphasia batteries.Aims: We applied reliable communicative measures of lexical and communicative behaviours to investigate the comparative impact of multi-modality aphasia therapy (M-MAT) and constraint-induced aphasia therapy plus (CIAT Plus) on three discourse genres.Methods & Procedures: Thirteen people with chronic aphasia each participated in 2 weeks of intensive CIAT Plus and 2 weeks of intensive M-MAT (30 hours over 2 weeks). Seven participants undertook CIAT Plus first, while six undertook M-MAT first. Discourse samples from three conditions were collected (picture description, Cinderella story retell and semi-structured conversation) at three time points (pre-treatment, post-CIAT Plus and post-M-MAT). Primary outcome measures included lexical measures (total words, words per minute) and communication measures (total correct information units (CIUs), CIUs per minute).Outcomes & Results: Results varied considerably within and across participants and also across the three discourse conditions. Furthermore, changes in both positive and negative directions were evident throughout the data set. There was a slight trend for better outcomes from CIAT Plus for individuals with mild aphasia and from M-MAT for individuals with moderate aphasia.Conclusions: In order to inform clinical practice and facilitate treatment planning and evaluation, further research is essential to continue to develop reliable discourse measures; to reach consensus on what constitutes “meaningful change” within discourse data and to take steps to mitigate against the variability inherent within discourse.

Inner speech deficits in people with aphasia.

Despite the ubiquity of inner speech in our mental lives, methods for objectively assessing inner speech capacities remain underdeveloped. The most common means of assessing inner speech is to present participants with tasks requiring them to silently judge whether two words rhyme. We developed a version of this task to assess the inner speech of a population of patients with aphasia and corresponding language production deficits. Patients’ performance on the silent rhyming task was severely impaired relative to controls. Patients’ performance on this task did not, however, correlate with their performance on a variety of other standard tests of overt language and rhyming abilities. In particular, patients who were generally unimpaired in their abilities to overtly name objects during confrontation naming tasks, and who could reliably judge when two words spoken to them rhymed, were still severely impaired (relative to controls) at completing the silent rhyme task. A variety of explanations for these results are considered, as a means to critically reflecting on the relations among inner speech, outer speech, and silent rhyme judgments more generally.

Phonological facilitation effects on naming latencies and viewing times during noun and verb naming in agrammatic and anomic aphasia

Background: Phonological priming has been shown to facilitate naming in individuals with aphasia, as well as healthy speakers, resulting in faster naming latencies. However, the mechanisms of phonological facilitation (PF) in aphasia remain unclear.Aims: Within discrete vs. interactive models of lexical access, this study examined whether PF occurs via the sub-lexical or lexical route during noun and verb naming in agrammatic and anomic aphasia.Methods & Procedures: Thirteen participants with agrammatic aphasia and 10 participants with anomic aphasia and their young and age-matched controls (n = 20/each) were tested. Experiment 1 examined noun and verb naming deficit patterns in an off-line confrontation naming task. Experiment 2 examined PF effects on naming both word categories using eyetracking priming paradigm.Outcomes & Results: Results of Experiment 1 showed greater naming difficulty for verbs than for nouns in the agrammatic group, with no difference between the two word categories in the anomic group. For both participant groups, errors were dominated by semantic paraphasias, indicating impaired lexical selection. In the phonological priming task (Experiment 2), young and age-matched control groups showed PF in both noun and verb naming. Interestingly, the agrammatic group showed PF when naming verbs, but not nouns, whereas the anomic group showed PF for nouns only.Conclusions: Consistent with lexically mediated PF in interactive models of lexical access, selective PF for different word categories in our agrammatic and anomic groups suggest that phonological primes facilitate lexical selection via feedback activation, resulting in greater PF for more difficult (i.e., verbs in agrammatic and possibly nouns in anomic group) lexical items.

Confrontation Naming and Reading Abilities at Primary School: A Longitudinal Study.

Background. Confrontation naming tasks are useful in the assessment of children with learning and language disorders. Objectives. The aims of this study were (1) providing longitudinal data on confrontation naming; (2) investigating the role of socioeconomic status (SES), intelligence, age, and gender in confrontation naming; (3) identifying relationship between confrontation naming and reading abilities (fluency, accuracy, and comprehension). Method. A five-year longitudinal investigation of confrontation naming (i.e., the Boston Naming Test (BNT)) in a nonclinical sample of Italian primary school children was conducted (n = 126), testing them at the end of each school year, to assess nonverbal intelligence, confrontation naming, and reading abilities. Results. Performance on the BNT emerged as a function of IQ and SES. Significant correlations between confrontation naming and reading abilities, especially comprehension, were found; BNT scores correlated better with reading fluency than with reading accuracy. Conclusions. The longitudinal data obtained in this study are discussed with regard to reading abilities, intelligence, age, gender, and socioeconomic status.

The Effects of Verb Argument Complexity on Verb Production in Persons with Aphasia: Evidence from a Subject-Object-Verb Language.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of verb argument complexity on verb production in individuals with aphasia using a verb-final language. The verb-argument complexity was examined by the number of arguments (1-, 2-, and 3-place) and the types of arguments (unaccusative vs. unergative comparisons). Fifteen Korean-speaking individuals with aphasia and 16 normal controls participated in the study. A confrontation naming task was used to elicit verb production with a total of 36 items for each verb type (1-place unergative, 1-place unaccusative, 2-place, and 3-place verbs). Individuals with aphasia presented lower mean percentage correctness in 3-place than in 1-place verbs, and showed differentially greater difficulties with unaccusative constructions than with unergative verbs, compared to the control group. The effects of verb-argument complexity were clearly observed in Korean-speaking individuals with aphasia. The effects of the number of arguments were observed most clearly in Broca's and Wernicke's types of aphasia and individuals with lower overall aphasia severity. The effects of Korean unaccusativity manifested across aphasia groups. General patterns of verb-argument complexity in Korean were consistent with previous findings in English.

The use of gesture following traumatic brain injury: a preliminary analysis

Background: Gesture and its effects on speech production has been a topic of interest, especially in studies of individuals with language impairment. Research on word retrieval in participants with aphasia has demonstrated increased gesture or coverbal movement during confrontation naming tasks or spontaneous conversation. Although word retrieval difficulties are also prevalent following traumatic brain injury (TBI), comparatively little research has been published with regard to gesture in the population with TBI.Aims: The current study aimed to investigate the nature and pattern of gestures in individuals with TBI and to compare these to gestures produced by healthy adults.Methods & Procedures: Gestural performance of 30 participants with TBI was analysed in comparison with 32 controls with no history of brain injury during the Test of Adolescent/Adult Word Finding (TAWF). The groups were compared on the frequency, type or pattern, and handedness of gesture.Outcomes & Results: Individuals with TBI produced gestures and coverbal movements (auxiliary or extra movements unrelated to speech) approximately three times more frequently than the control participants on the TAWF. Both the groups employed iconic gesture most frequently, and pointing was frequently demonstrated by individuals with TBI, but not utilised by healthy adults. Finally, a significant difference in hand preference for gesture was revealed. While the control group demonstrated a right hand preference, there was no clear hand preference in the group with TBI.Conclusions: Individuals with TBI demonstrated significantly greater gestural usage compared to healthy adults. The current data offer preliminary patterns of gestural use following TBI. However, the role of facilitation remains unclear. It is possible that gestures facilitate word retrieval, or perhaps they are employed to resolve a word retrieval block.