The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a personalized, multi-component, virtual speech language treatment program can improve communication and quality of life for adults with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and their primary communication partners. The study will enroll participants who speak English and/or Spanish. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Is the telerehabilitation program feasible and acceptable for people with PPA and their study partners? * Do participants with PPA and study partners find treatment beneficial? * What patterns of treatment response are seen in participants? * Which outcome measures are most useful for evaluating changes in communication and quality of life? Researchers will compare participants who receive intervention immediately to participants assigned to a waitlist control group (who will receive treatment after a delay) to see whether participation in the treatment program is associated with improvements in communication and quality of life. Participants will: * Take part in speech language therapy sessions delivered by video visit that combine restorative, compensatory, and partner-focused communication strategies. Treatment may take place after a waiting period. * Receive education and communication training together with their partner. * Complete speech, language, and cognitive assessments. * Complete questionnaires about communication abilities, daily functioning, and quality of life.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of restitutive, compensatory, and care-partner focused interventions. Participants work on producing names of personally relevant targets in multiple communication modalities. Biweekly (45-90 minute) sessions with a clinician target multimodal communication and the use of strategies to support word retrieval. These skills are also trained via daily independent practice. The participant meets six times during the course of treatment with a study partner (e.g., spouse) for communication counseling, education, and practice of communication strategies.
In person or via teletherapy: A multi-component treatment incorporating elements of restitutive, compensatory, and care-partner focused interventions. Treatment focuses on production of individually-tailored, personally relevant scripts. The participant completes 30 minutes per day of independent practice, during which they speak in unison with a video model. Biweekly (45-90 minute) sessions with a clinician target clear and accurate script production, memorization, and conversational usage, as well as multimodal communication. The participant meets six times during the course of treatment with a study partner (e.g., spouse) for communication counseling, education, and practice of communication strategies.
University of Texas
Austin, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGChange in spoken naming of trained/untrained items
Percent correctly named trained/untrained pictures
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Change in script production accuracy
Percent correct intelligible, scripted words for trained/untrained scripts
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Change in barriers and facilitators in dyad conversation
Number of conversation barriers and facilitators observed in conversation
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Communication Modality Inventory
A likert-type survey characterizing frequency and type of communication modalities used in conversation, administered to both the person with PPA and their conversation partner.
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Change on Quick Aphasia Battery
A standardized aphasia assessment.
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Change on Aphasia Impact Questionnaire
A psychosocial questionnaire for individuals with aphasia. Scores range from 0-84, with higher scores indicating greater impact of aphasia.
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Acceptability and Perception of Change Survey
A survey characterizing acceptability of and perceived response to treatment.
Time frame: post-treatment (approximately 12-13 weeks after treatment onset)
Change on Adult Carers Quality of Life Questionnaire
A measure evaluating quality of life for caregivers. Scores range from 0-100, with higher scores indicating greater quality of life.
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
Change on Brief - Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE)
A survey characterizing care partner use of coping strategies.
Time frame: change from pre-treatment or waitlist to post-treatment or waitlist (12-13 weeks), and follow-up at 3 months post-treatment
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