Script training dose (Braun & Cherney, 2025)
Purpose: Optimal dosage parameters are underspecified for aphasia therapy. This study evaluated effects of small doses of conversational script training in individuals with chronic poststroke aphasia.
Method: Ten adults with chronic poststroke aphasia completed 2 hr of computerized conversational script training on two consecutive days via AphasiaScripts. Accuracy and rate of production of a trained and an untrained conversational script were probed at three baseline timepoints and various timepoints after the first and second treatment sessions up to 2 weeks posttreatment. Generalization in accuracy of trained script production was evaluated through a live conversational interaction. Mixed-effects linear regression models evaluated changes in accuracy and rate of script production across timepoints.
Results: Participants showed significantly improved accuracy and rate of trained script production immediately following 1 and 2 hr of treatment. Gains in script production accuracy and rate were maintained up to 1 week posttreatment. Generalization probe production accuracy improved significantly from baseline to immediately posttreatment and 2 weeks posttreatment.
Conclusions: Improvement in production of trained conversational scripts following 1 and 2 hr of treatment can be documented in individuals with poststroke aphasia. These results provide estimates for the effects of 1 and 2 hr of conversational script training that can be used in future dosage manipulations.
Supplemental Material S1. Statistical analysis code in a .R file to be used with the open-source statistical analysis software R.
Supplemental Material S2. Raw data in a .csv file for the oral reading probes used for analysis for Research Questions 1 and 2.
Supplemental Material S3. Raw data in a .csv file with demographic and standardized testing results.
Supplemental Material S4. Raw data in a .csv file for the generalization probes used for analysis for Research Question 3.
Braun, E. J., & Cherney, L. R. (2025). Small-dose behavioral treatment effects: Learning following 2 hours of computer-based conversational script training in individuals with poststroke aphasia. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 68(3), 1075–1091. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00326
