A single-subject, time-series investigation of script therapy in aphasia intervention

Abstract

The investigation at hand converged Schuell's stimulation approach (a common aphasia intervention approach) with a script theory (a common child-language intervention approach). A single-subject longitudinal study was designed over a period of 10 weeks. A baseline, alternating treatments (scripted and narrative), and maintenance phase was included. This script stimulation approach utilized the subject's general social and cognitive knowledge (scripts)to facilitate language processing and did not require the subject to extend that knowledge to express novel ideas/experiences or narratives. Furthermore, controlled and intensive stimulation was given to maximize the aphasic's reorganization of language. Standardized testing and language sampling (dependent variable) were implemented during baseline and maintenance phases to determine the effects of a script stimulation approach (independent variable). Results showed that the subject's test scores and language sampling numbers improved after eight weeks of treatment. Findings seem to suggest that a script stimulation approach will facilitate linguistic output. Implications for future research are discussed.