Group Language Therapy for Aphasia

Overseen By Portia Carr, Ph.D

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Arkansas

Disqualifiers: Childhood speech, Major psychiatric, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 12

Duration: 7-12 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to help people with aphasia, a condition affecting language skills, improve their communication abilities through group sessions. Participants will join weekly 90-minute reading groups and complete language tasks independently. The study focuses on enhancing skills such as speech, comprehension, and writing. It suits adults who developed aphasia after childhood and can see, hear, and speak English well enough to participate. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance communication strategies for those with aphasia.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It might be best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this language intervention with group sessions is safe for adults with aphasia?

Research has shown that group language therapy for people with aphasia, a condition affecting communication, is generally safe and well-received. Studies have found that group therapy offers a social environment that aids language recovery. Participants often experience a sense of community and report improvements in their language skills.

Organizing group therapy sessions is straightforward, and participants typically express high satisfaction and commitment to attending. In one study, 78% of participants demonstrated significant improvements in their everyday language use.

Overall, these findings suggest that group language therapy is safe and positively received by participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this language therapy for aphasia because it emphasizes a group-based approach combined with independent tasks, which is quite different from traditional one-on-one speech therapy sessions. By focusing on group interactions, the therapy aims to enhance communication skills through social engagement, which can be more engaging and motivating for participants. Additionally, the inclusion of independent tasks allows for personalized practice, potentially leading to improved reading and writing skills. This flexible, integrative approach offers a fresh angle on helping those with aphasia regain language abilities in a supportive, collaborative environment.

What evidence suggests that this language intervention with group sessions is effective for aphasia?

Research shows that group sessions and individual exercises can significantly help people with aphasia improve their language and communication skills. Studies have found that participants in group therapy often experience better language abilities and communication than those who do not receive this type of treatment. Improvements include enhanced skills in naming objects and understanding language, as well as increased involvement in social activities. Additionally, evidence suggests that group therapy provides a supportive social setting, further aiding recovery. These findings indicate that the treatment under study, involving language intervention with group sessions and independent tasks, has strong potential to help individuals with aphasia enhance their language abilities. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Dana Moser, Ph.D

Principal Investigator

University of Arkansas

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 who were proficient in English before having a stroke that led to aphasia, impacting their language abilities. They must have good enough vision and hearing for assessments but can't join if they had childhood speech issues, major psychiatric illnesses, cognitive impairments, or other neurological disorders.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with aphasia as an adult.

Pre-morbid proficient speaker of English

Vision and hearing sufficient to complete assessments

Exclusion Criteria

You did not have trouble speaking or understanding language when you were a child.

I have no major psychiatric, cognitive, or neurological issues.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-assessment

Participants complete initial assessment and pre-testing of language abilities

1-2 weeks

4-5 visits (in-person)

Treatment

Participants attend weekly 90-minute reading group sessions and complete independent reading assignments

7-12 weeks

7-12 visits (in-person), 7-12 independent sessions

Post-assessment

Participants complete post-testing to assess changes in language abilities

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in language skills and quality of life after treatment

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Language intervention with group sessions and independent tasks

Trial Overview The study tests the effectiveness of group sessions focused on improving reading and writing skills in individuals with aphasia due to stroke. Participants will undergo language ability assessments before and after attending weekly 90-minute reading group sessions for an academic semester.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Reading Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All participants in this group will receive language intervention within weekly group sessions and independent tasks with emphasis on improving reading and writing skills among persons with aphasia.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Arkansas

Lead Sponsor

Trials

500

Recruited

153,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Both individual and group therapy significantly improved language abilities in aphasic patients after a left hemisphere stroke, indicating that both treatment methods are effective.

Individual treatment led to better overall performance on the Porch Index of Communicative Ability compared to group therapy, although no significant differences were found on other language measures, suggesting that while individual therapy may have advantages, both approaches are beneficial.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Veterans Administration cooperative study on aphasia: a comparison of individual and group treatment. Wertz, RT., Collins, MJ., Weiss, D., et al.[2019]

In a 6-week group therapy program for three individuals with aphasia, only one participant showed significant improvement in communication skills, specifically in discourse ratings, while the other two showed no notable changes.

The study suggests that the group treatment format may not be effective for enhancing linguistic abilities in people with aphasia, and highlights challenges in measuring improvements in connected speech.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Exploration of the Impact of Group Treatment for Aphasia on Connected Speech. Mason, C., Nickels, L., McDonald, B.[2021]

A systematic review of aphasia research datasets revealed significant gaps in participant and intervention details, with only 25.8% of studies reporting prior stroke information and just 2.3% providing socio-economic status, which are crucial for understanding treatment outcomes.

While basic participant demographics like age and sex were commonly reported, the lack of detailed intervention descriptions limits the ability to replicate studies and apply findings in clinical practice, highlighting the need for improved reporting standards in aphasia research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communicating simply, but not too simply: Reporting of participants and speech and language interventions for aphasia after stroke. [2022]

In a 4-month study involving 24 adults with chronic aphasia, those who received group communication treatment showed significant improvements in both communicative and linguistic performance compared to those who did not receive treatment.

Participants demonstrated notable progress after just 2 months of treatment, and their improvements were maintained even after a follow-up period without treatment, indicating the lasting benefits of the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of group communication treatment in adults with chronic aphasia. Elman, RJ., Bernstein-Ellis, E.[2022]

In a randomized controlled trial with 48 participants with chronic aphasia, conversation group treatment improved certain aspects of monologic discourse, particularly in the complete utterance (CU) method, after 10 weeks of treatment.

However, the primary outcome measure, percent correct information units (CIUs), did not show significant changes, indicating that while conversation treatment may enhance the overall amount of language produced, it does not necessarily improve the efficiency of language production.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Group Conversation Treatment on Monologic Discourse in Aphasia. Hoover, E., DeDe, G., Maas, E.[2023]

In a study involving 48 participants with chronic aphasia, conversation group treatment significantly improved language impairment and quality of life compared to a delayed control group, indicating its efficacy.

The results suggested that smaller dyad groups were more effective for improving language impairment, while larger groups were better for enhancing functional communication and discourse production, highlighting the importance of group dynamics in treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Two to Tango or the More the Merrier? A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Group Size in Aphasia Conversation Treatment on Standardized Tests. DeDe, G., Hoover, E., Maas, E.[2020]

The study aims to create a comprehensive database of individual participant data (IPD) from various studies on speech and language therapy (SLT) for people with aphasia after stroke, which will help identify predictors of recovery and effective therapy components.

By using meta- and network meta-analysis, the research will explore how individual characteristics and specific SLT interventions contribute to improvements in language recovery, ultimately aiming to optimize treatment strategies for aphasia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

RELEASE: a protocol for a systematic review based, individual participant data, meta- and network meta-analysis, of complex speech-language therapy interventions for stroke-related aphasia. Brady, MC., Ali, M., VandenBerg, K., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12281019/

Comprehensive intervention combining group and ... Increasingly, studies are demonstrating language and communication improvement after behavioral interventions for primary progressive aphasia ( ...

2. pubs.asha.org pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-24-00279

The Benefits of Conversation Group Treatment for ... Results showed that only the treatment group made significant improvements on language and functional measures of communication (Porch Index of Communication ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1052305723001313

Comparing the efficiency of speech and language therapy ... The results of the study showed a positive effect on language skills, naming scores, and participation in social life of Turkish-speaking aphasic individuals.

4. ahajournals.org ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.035216

Dosage, Intensity, and Frequency of Language Therapy for ... Auditory comprehension gains were the greatest for word-finding SLT, for up to 9 hours weekly over 4 to 5 days for 20 to 50+ hours in total.

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4949973/

Group Therapy as a Social Context for Aphasia Recovery There is evidence in the literature that group therapy is effective for improving language and communication in aphasia.

6. alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trc2.70132

Comprehensive intervention combining group and ... Qualitative findings from PwPPA and caregivers were very positive, and underscored the sense of community, improved language, communication, and ...

7. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02687038.2023.2282659

The effects of cognitive-linguistic interventions to treat ... Seventy-eight percent (14 of the 18 participants) of the intervention group demonstrated significant improvement on the Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language ...

8. pubs.asha.org pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2025_PERSP-24-00258

Game-Based Group Therapy for People With Aphasia Game-based therapy was easy to implement in an online group setting. Adherence and satisfaction were high. Quality of life and language scores did not change ...

9. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2077-0383/14/9/3063

Safety and Efficacy of Different Therapeutic Interventions ... The primary outcome measure was language gain; the secondary outcome assessed overall therapeutic effects. Data on study characteristics, patient demographics, ...