Word-Retrieval Treatment for Aphasia: Semantic Feature Analysis

The purpose of the proposed research is to examine the effects of a semantically-oriented treatment on word retrieval in persons with aphasia. The planned investigations are designed to further the development of semantic feature training so that it may serve as not only a mechanism for improving disrupted lexical semantic processing, but also as a compensatory strategy during word retrieval failures. The proposed research will also address the issue of exemplar typicality (Kiran \& Thompson, 2003) by examining the effects of training typical versus atypical exemplars of various categories with individuals with different types of aphasia. A series of 24 single subject experimental designs will be conducted in the context of a group design to address the following experimental questions: * Will training atypical examples of living and artifact noun categories using semantic feature training result in a significantly different outcome\* than training typical examples of living and artifact noun categories? * Will training of one category of nouns using semantic feature training result in improved retrieval of untrained categories of nouns? * Will effects of semantic feature training vary across aphasia types? * Will semantic feature training result in increased production of content during discourse? * Will generalization to untrained typical examples vary across generalization lists that are repeatedly exposed and those that are limited in exposure? (i.e., Does repeated exposure appear to contribute to generalization?) * Outcome measure will reflect acquisition, response generalization within category, and response generalization across category effects of treatment.