当前位置： SCI文献检索 > INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS期刊下所有文献 > Effectiveness of semantic therapy for word-finding difficulties in pupils with persistent language impairments: a randomized control trial.

Effectiveness of semantic therapy for word-finding difficulties in pupils with persistent language impairments: a randomized control trial.

Abstract：

BACKGROUND:Word-finding difficulties (WFDs) in children have been hypothesized to be caused at least partly by poor semantic knowledge. Therefore, improving semantic knowledge should decrease word-finding errors. Previous studies of semantic therapy for WFDs are inconclusive. AIMS:To investigate the effectiveness of semantic therapy for secondary school-aged pupils with WFDs using a randomized control trial with blind assessment. METHODS & PROCEDURES:Fifteen participants with language impairments and WFDs (aged 9;11-15;11) were randomly assigned to a therapy versus waiting control group. In Phase 1 the therapy group received two 15-min semantic therapy sessions per week for 8 weeks with their usual speech and language therapist. Therapy for each participant targeted words from one of three semantic categories (animals, food, clothes). All participants were tested pre- and post-phase 1 therapy on the brief version of the Test of Adolescent Word Finding (TAWF), semantic fluency and the Test of Word Finding in Discourse (TWFD). In Phase 2 the waiting control group received the same therapy as the original therapy group, which received therapy targeted at other language areas. Testing after Phase 2 aimed to establish whether the waiting control group made similar progress to the original therapy group and whether the original therapy group maintained any gains. OUTCOMES & RESULTS:The original therapy group made significant progress in standard scores on the TAWF (d= 0.94), which was maintained 5 months later. However, they made no progress on the semantic fluency or discourse tests. Participants in the waiting control group did not make significant progress on the TAWF in Phase 1 when they received no word-finding therapy. However, after Phase 2, when they received the therapy, they also made significant progress (d= 0.81). The combined effect of therapy over the two groups was d= 1.2. The mean standard scores on the TAWF were 67 pre-therapy and 77 post-therapy. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS:Four hours of semantic therapy on discrete semantic categories led to significant gains on a general standardized test of word finding, enabling the participants to begin to close the gap between their performance and that of their typically developing peers. These gains were maintained after 5 months. A small amount of therapy can lead to significant gains even with secondary aged pupils with severe language difficulties. However, further studies are needed to find ways of improving word-finding abilities in discourse.

journal_name

Int J Lang Commun Disord

journal_title

International journal of language & communication disorders

authors

Ebbels SH,Nicoll H,Clark B,Eachus B,Gallagher AL,Horniman K,Jennings M,McEvoy K,Nimmo L,Turner G

doi

10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00073.x

subject

Has Abstract

pub_date

2012-01-01 00:00:00

pages

35-51

issue

eissn

1368-2822

issn

1460-6984

journal_volume

pub_type

杂志文章,随机对照试验

在线工具

Effectiveness of semantic therapy for word-finding difficulties in pupils with persistent language impairments: a randomized control trial.