Comparing the outcomes of intensive and non-intensive context-based aphasia treatment

Abstract

Background : Intensive rates of treatment have been shown to have positive outcomes but have rarely been directly compared with non-intensive treatment. Certain types of treatment may be more effective at intensive rates than others. Aims : The purpose of this study was to compare intensive and non-intensive rates of one particular, highly specified type of treatment termed “context-based treatment”. Methods & Procedures : Thirteen adults with moderately severe aphasia were assigned to either intensive or non-intensive treatment. A battery of assessments was designed to measure the effectiveness of the treatment and the transfer of the treatment to more and less similar contexts. Outcomes & Results : There was no advantage of intensive treatment for achieving mastery of the trained context, or in transferring those skills to similar environments, or challenging environments. Conclusions : If replicated, the results could suggest that context-based treatment may be a treatment type of choice when treatment time is limited.