Clinician and caregiver-administered treatment for naming in neurodegenerative disease

Abstract: Aphasia treatment research to-date indicates that lexical retrieval training can result in improved naming ability. Traditionally, treatment is administered by a speech-language pathologist, with little involvement of caregivers or carry-over of practice into the home. The current study examined the effects of a lexical retrieval training hierarchy that was implemented by both a clinician and, subsequently, by a trained caregiver. Two dyads, each consisting of one individual with lexical retrieval impairment due to neurodegenerative disease and a caregiver, participated in the study. Participants initially received treatment administered by a graduate student clinician. Caregivers were subsequently trained, with clinician support and feedback, to administer the same lexical retrieval treatment in a second phase of intervention. Results indicated medium and large effect sizes for clinician- and caregiver-trained items. Participants' perceptions of treatment benefits and implications for future research are discussed.